Arlington Heights, IL Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)

7. The café must be incidental to an existing restaurant that already holds a special use permit or waiver; it cannot stand alone. The Village will not reduce the open, obstruction-free portion of the sidewalk below five feet, counting street lighting, benches, trees, and trash receptacles as obstructions. Before any permit issues, the operator must sign a lease of the right-of-way, execute a hold-harmless agreement, and carry general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 plus dram shop insurance of at least $300,000, naming the Village as an insured party.

The café owner is responsible for maintaining the right-of-way, including replacing damaged brick pavers, and every permit is subject to annual review and can be revoked on 30 days' notice at any time, not just at renewal. Tables placed in the right-of-way cannot exceed nine square feet, must be easily removable, and cannot impede pedestrian movement; furnishings must also be removable for winter and rated to withstand 30 pounds per square foot of wind pressure. m. 1-23, allows a similar café arrangement on private property in the B-1, B-2, B-3, and B-5 Districts, under most of the same design and hour conditions, but without the right-of-way lease and insurance requirements that apply specifically to public sidewalk space.