Pomona, CA Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code Sec. 46-344
- Permit term
- Annual, renewable
- Liability insurance
- $1,000,000 combined single limit
- Minimum pedestrian path
- 4 feet clear width
- Barrier height
- 24 to 36 inches
- Post-revocation wait
- 6-month reapplication bar
Summary
Pomona requires a valid annual outdoor dining permit before any restaurant can put tables on a public sidewalk under City Code Sec. 46-344. The development services manager reviews site plans, neighbor consent and a 150-foot radius map, and permittees must post a $1,000,000 liability policy and pay application, maintenance-deposit and annual renewal fees.
It shall be unlawful for any person or business to use the public sidewalk and/or public right-of-way for outdoor dining or outdoor newsstands without first obtaining a valid annual outdoor dining permit and/or outdoor newsstand permit. Outdoor dining permits shall be renewed each year in accordance with the procedures set forth in this article.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: City Code: Supplement 31).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 46-345 requires applicants to submit the outdoor dining permit application, written consent from adjacent property owners, and a radius map with property and business owner names within 150 feet of the site, plus a site plan showing furniture layout, circulation and the exact sidewalk dimensions to be occupied. Sec. 46-347 sets the physical standards: a continuous obstruction-free pedestrian path of at least four feet, no dining within three feet of a building corner or five feet of a driveway or alley, a barrier between 24 and 36 inches tall able to withstand 100 pounds of horizontal force, and awnings no lower than eight feet above the sidewalk.
Sec. 46-346 layers on a nonrefundable application fee, a maintenance deposit sized to cover sidewalk and fixture repairs, and an annual renewal fee, all set by council resolution. Sec. 46-350 requires $1,000,000 in combined general liability coverage naming the city as an additional insured, plus workers' compensation insurance, before the permit takes effect. Sec. 46-353 lets alcohol service continue only when the outdoor area is directly adjacent to an indoor restaurant with an ABC license, behind a 24-to-36-inch barrier, with no bar and posted signs against removing drinks. Sec. 46-351 lets the city administrator shut down an area at any time for festivals, street repairs or emergencies.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 46-352 lets the community development director order a permittee to move any part of a dining area that obstructs the sidewalk beyond what the permit allows, and the city manager can move it at the operator's expense if the permittee refuses. The director can also revoke a permit outright for a violated condition, a nuisance, or undue interference with pedestrian movement after written notice by certified mail, and the same site is barred from reapplying for six months. Appeals to the planning commission and then the city council must be filed within five days of the revocation notice and are accompanied by a council-set fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Pomona restaurants need a permit to put tables on the sidewalk?
How wide does the sidewalk have to stay clear for pedestrians in Pomona's outdoor dining zones?
Can a Pomona outdoor dining permit be revoked?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pomona
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