Kingsport, TN Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)

Section 90-98 makes the department of public works the permitting office and limits permits to the downtown business area, which § 90-74 defines as the property bounded on the south by Main Street, the west by Clinchfield Street, the north by Sullivan Street and the east by the intersection of Sullivan and Main Streets. A sidewalk cafe dining facility means chairs and tables on the public right-of-way adjacent to a street level business licensed as an eating establishment, and sidewalk vendors cannot establish one. Permits run for one year, renew annually and must be posted on the premises under § 90-99; a renewal application is due at least 30 days before expiration under § 90-102. The application needs a plan of every proposed activity on the right-of-way, and anything not specifically included is excluded under § 90-103. A tenant needs the written approval of the abutting property owner under § 90-100, and proof of insurance of not less than $1,000,000.00 must accompany the application under § 90-104.

The operating rules are in §§ 90-126 to 90-136. The area must be fenced or surrounded by a nonpermanent barrier not less than 40 inches high. A minimum of six feet of sidewalk, or the minimum required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, whichever is wider, stays clear for pedestrians, and the director of public works can require a wider path in congested areas. No doorway, driveway, crosswalk or bus stop can be blocked. Stakes, rods, support poles, drilled holes and permanent fixtures are prohibited, food preparation on the right-of-way is prohibited, and loudspeakers and attention-getting devices are barred. Alcohol can be sold and consumed only inside the facility, with a posted sign that consumption outside it is illegal, and employees cannot drink while working.