Prince George's County, MD Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)

Section 27-5102(e)(5) of Subtitle 27, the Zoning Ordinance, carries forward the outdoor dining rules the County first adopted for COVID-19 recovery and folds them into permanent use-specific standards for Eating or Drinking Establishment Uses. Outdoor seating added or expanded under the earlier temporary authorization before April 1, 2024 stays exempt from site plan conformance, minimum setbacks, and minimum parking, and the County will not bring a violation or enforcement action against it as long as the establishment keeps complying with the Subsection. Outdoor dining created or expanded after that date is treated differently: it must comply with site plan conformance and appear on all applicable site plans showing its location and other details, but it still is not subject to minimum building setbacks, build-to lines, or minimum parking requirements.

Any establishment relying on either track still has to follow every other applicable State and County law. The DPIE Director runs an expedited administrative process so existing lawful eating and drinking establishments can get authorization for new or expanded outdoor seating on adjacent or shared exterior space without going through a full site plan amendment. The County keeps real teeth behind that convenience: it can rescind an outdoor dining approval immediately, without a grace period, if the establishment falls out of compliance with any State or County law or with the requirements of this Subsection, and County law enforcement can assist DPIE with enforcement.