Arcadia, CA Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)

Part 7 of Chapter 2, Article VII of the Arcadia Municipal Code is titled the sidewalk dining ordinance. Section 7270.1 states the policy: public walkways exist primarily for free and unobstructed travel, and the City permits sidewalk dining on a temporary or nonpermanent basis, as a special privilege and not as a matter of right. Section 7270.3 then bars anyone from establishing or maintaining a sidewalk dining area within a public walkway except under a written permit approved by the Development Services Director.

Applications go to the Development Services Department with the fee set by City Council resolution (Section 7270.4). The applicant signs a declaration under penalty of perjury and supplies plans showing the dimensions of the area, all obstructions, the number of seats and tables, a schedule of time of use and utility connections. A tenant must also obtain signed approval from the owner of the abutting property, and the abutting property must already have all zoning entitlements. Section 7270.6 lists six findings, including that the activity does not impede travel on the public walkway or create a hazard to the safety or health of passers-by.

Section 7270.7 sets the standards. The walkway must be at least 10 feet wide with an unobstructed 5 feet. Only a single row of tables with chairs is allowed, parallel and adjacent to the building. Barriers such as planters, fencing or poles and chains cannot exceed 4 feet in height. The area must be cleared of tables and chairs at the end of each business day, cannot sit within 10 feet of any driveway or alley, and must comply with ADA and Title 24. Individual fire treated umbrellas are allowed, but other coverings must be attached to the building.

A permit is not transferable, is valid only for the original applicant and is only for the owner and operator of the abutting business. Section 7270.10 requires an annual fee, and failure to pay it before the deadline on the permit causes a lapse. Sections 7270.8 and 7270.9 require indemnification of the City and liability insurance at levels set by resolution. Under Section 7270.12 the Department can terminate or suspend a permit, and a terminated permittee is entitled to a pro-rata refund of the annual fee.