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

Chapter 190 of the Village of Hamburg Code, adopted by the Board of Trustees on 7-19-2010 as L.L. No. 2-2010, governs every sidewalk cafe and outdoor dining area in the Village. Under § 190-2, nothing is allowed until a permit has first been obtained from the Village Clerk. Under § 190-3, only a commercial establishment with a certificate of occupancy for restaurant use that takes orders or keeps table service inside can serve outdoors. A commercial establishment that is not a restaurant needs the permission of the Board of Trustees before it applies.

The application goes to the Village Clerk in writing on the Clerk's form. The Clerk forwards it to the Code Enforcement Officer, and the permit issues only after the Officer approves. Section 190-4 requires the applicant's and establishment's names and telephone numbers, a copy of the New York State liquor license if alcohol will be served, a survey showing the dining area, a plan with the seating layout and every entrance and exit, a description of the furniture and how it will be stored or secured when closed, and whether live or mechanically reproduced music will be played. Under § 190-5 the cafe must not interfere with pedestrian traffic or use of adjacent public property, and the applicant must meet all building, zoning, architectural design and health codes.

If any part of the cafe sits on public property or in the public right-of-way, § 190-8 requires a certificate of comprehensive general liability insurance naming the Village of Hamburg as an additional insured, at no less than $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate. Permits are issued on or after April 1, expire on the last Sunday in November however early they were issued, are renewed like original applications, and are not assignable (§ 190-15). Section 190-13 bans outdoor cooking of any type and caps lighting at 0.5 foot candles on any abutting property. Section 190-14 requires temporary furniture that is brought in at closing or secured, with no signage affixed to temporary structures.