Lakeville, MN Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)

Lakeville City Code section 11-74-5.E lists outdoor seating accessory to a restaurant use as a permitted accessory use in the C-CBD, Downtown Central Business District, meaning a qualifying setup does not need a separate conditional or interim use permit before it opens. Furniture may only sit outside while the restaurant is open to the public; tables and chairs must come indoors after closing. The seating area itself has to be located on the restaurant's own business property, but the ordinance also lets it extend onto the public sidewalk that directly abuts that property, subject to three conditions in subsection E2.

First, a minimum five foot pedestrian walkway must remain open on the sidewalk so foot traffic is not blocked. Second, the outdoor seating must be set back at least five feet from the back of curb of the adjoining public street or private drive aisle, keeping diners clear of passing vehicles. Third, because the tables sit on city-owned sidewalk rather than private land, the business owner must carry a certificate of general liability insurance with a minimum of $300,000.00 in coverage and name the City of Lakeville as an additional insured on that policy.

The Planning and Community Development Department administers Title 11 zoning compliance for C-CBD properties, including this accessory-use standard, and the zoning administrator can require documentation of the walkway width, curb setback, and insurance certificate before sidewalk seating is set up for the season. The rule sits within chapter 74, the C-CBD district chapter of the zoning title, alongside other accessory uses such as outdoor sales displays and temporary structures, and it was carried forward from Ordinance 867, adopted May 17, 2010.