Colonie, NY Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)

Town Code § 190-40B(6), part of the design and development standards for the Commercial Office Residential (COR) District, defines outdoor dining as a designated seating and table area located entirely outside a restaurant, coffee shop or other food service establishment's walls, or enclosed on two sides or fewer with or without a roof, or enclosed on three sides only if there is no solid roof. The area must be visually and architecturally integrated with the building under the district's design standards. If the cafe sits at the side of a building, its edge should be defined by a transparent fence of wood or wrought iron no taller than four feet, and the fence-and-railing combination cannot block sidewalk views into the seating area.

The core protection is pedestrian clearance: the public portion of the sidewalk along the street cannot be constricted by the seating, and there must be a minimum of five feet of clear distance, or 50% of the sidewalk width if that is greater, free of all obstructions such as benches, garbage receptacles or utility poles; if that minimum clearance is not met, outdoor seating is not allowed at all. Furnishings are limited to readily removable umbrellas, covers, tables, chairs, planters with live plants and decorative accessories, none of which may be attached to the sidewalk, public property or the building even temporarily, and everything must come indoors when the establishment closes.

The dining area and adjacent right-of-way must stay clear of litter and debris. All food and drink must be prepared on-site under whatever permits apply, including alcoholic beverage permits. The Planning and Economic Development Department administers COR standards under § 190-46.