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

Sec. 13, Use of Sidewalks for Outdoor Dining, authorizes the City Manager to grant temporary use of a sidewalk for outdoor dining at locations and conditions deemed appropriate, but sets a floor of requirements every applicant must substantially meet. the next morning. A minimum four-foot clearance has to stay open on the sidewalk at all times the dining area is in use, so pedestrian traffic is never fully blocked. Permittees cannot play music audible on the sidewalk, whether live or recorded, without the City Manager's prior written approval, which covers everything from a busker to a speaker system.

At least one portable trash receptacle has to be available for customers whenever a table or chair is out for use. The permit holder must keep the setup in good repair and a safe, sightly condition, and must indemnify and defend the City against claims arising from the dining area, backed by at least one million dollars in comprehensive general liability insurance, an amount the City Manager can raise in consultation with the City Attorney. The City Manager can revoke the permit on thirty days' written notice, at which point the permittee must remove everything and restore the right-of-way at its own expense, and the permit does not transfer to an assignee until the City Manager has notice of the assignment and proof of the required insurance.