San Angelo, TX Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)
Key Facts
- Nighttime noise cap
- 45 decibels, 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Daytime noise cap
- 55 decibels at all other times
- Measured at
- Lot line of the nearest residential use
- Lighting rule
- No glare directed onto residential property
- Parking rule
- Outdoor seats count toward required parking
- Governing section
- Zoning Ordinance Sec. 423
Summary
San Angelo's zoning ordinance lets restaurants, bars and taverns add outdoor seating, but caps the noise it can generate at 45 decibels overnight and 55 decibels during the day, measured at the property line of any nearby home. Lighting must be shielded from residential glare, and every outdoor seat counts toward the site's required off-street parking.
Outdoor seating areas shall be allowed in conjunction with existing or proposed restaurants, bars and taverns, subject to the following standards. 1.All lights must be arranged and controlled so as to deflect glare or any uncomfortably bright, harsh light away from any nearby residential use.2.Outdoor seating areas may not generate noise in excess of 45 decibels (dB) between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. or in excess of 55 decibels (dB) at all other times, as measured at the lot line of any residential use.3.All outdoor seating areas shall be included in the calculation of off-street parking requirements in Article 5. The addition of outdoor seating without the requisite minimum number of off-street parking spaces shall be considered a violation of this Zoning Ordinance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 10).
Full Breakdown
Section 423 of the Zoning Ordinance governs outdoor seating added to an existing or proposed restaurant, bar or tavern. Subsection 1 requires all lighting in the seating area to be arranged and controlled so it does not deflect glare or harsh light onto any nearby residential use. , or 55 decibels at any other time, measured at the lot line of the nearest residential use. That is the only numeric decibel standard written into San Angelo's code, and it applies specifically to restaurant, bar and tavern patios rather than to noise citywide.
Subsection 3 folds outdoor seating into the site's parking calculation under Article 5 of the Zoning Ordinance: adding patio seats without adding the required number of off-street spaces to match is itself declared a violation of the Zoning Ordinance, separate from any noise or lighting problem. Because Section 423 was adopted as part of the zoning code, a restaurant or bar owner planning a patio, sidewalk seating area or beer garden needs to check both the lighting and decibel standards and the parking ratio before opening the space, since Development Services can treat an undersized parking count as a standalone code violation even if the noise and lighting rules are otherwise met.
Violations & Fines
Running outdoor seating that exceeds 45 decibels overnight or 55 decibels by day at the residential lot line, casting glare onto a neighboring home, or adding patio seats without the matching off-street parking all violate Zoning Ordinance Section 423. Because Section 423 sits in the Zoning Ordinance, Section 1.01.009(b) caps the fine at $2,000.00, and Section 1.01.009(f) treats each day the violation continues as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can a restaurant patio be in San Angelo?
Does a restaurant need extra parking for a patio?
Can outdoor lighting shine onto a neighbor's yard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Angelo
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