Lafayette, IN Special Events & Permits: Parklets (2026)

Chapter 4.17, Parklets/Streateries, defines a "parklet" in § 4.17.010 as a small public gathering space occupying one or more parking spaces on a public street, treated as a public sidewalk though privately owned and maintained, and a "streatery" as parking spaces used as an extension of, or stand-alone, sidewalk café tied to a nearby restaurant or bar's food service permit. Section 4.17.020 makes it unlawful to install or operate either without a written license from the City Engineer. Applications go to the City Engineer's office and are heard by the Lafayette Parking Commission at its next scheduled meeting, with public comment allowed; § 4.17.040 requires the applicant to mail notice of the application to adjacent property owners, managers and street-level tenants at least seven days before that meeting.

Under § 4.17.050 the Commission must find the applicant is the adjacent owner or occupant with permission to place the structure, that it will not unduly impair sidewalk passage, and that its design meets City Engineer and Historic Preservation Commission guidelines. Licensed parklets and streateries must be vacated and restored to original condition from November 1 through April 1 each year, and the licensee carries $1,000,000 in general liability insurance naming the city as additional insured under § 4.17.070. A license runs one year under § 4.17.100 and can auto-renew absent site changes or cited violations; the annual fee is $100 under § 4.17.110.