Shoreline, WA Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)

Sidewalk cafes fall under the same right-of-way site permit rules as other C(1) uses: § 12.15.030(C)(1) requires the accessory use to be "allowed in the adjacent zoning designation" before a permit can issue, and the restaurant cannot be made to meet private development standards for it, since the tables sit on public right-of-way rather than private property. Section 12.15.030(C)(1)(g) groups sidewalk cafes with telephone booths and vendors selling flowers, food, beverages or newspapers as "sales structures" eligible for the permit. Like other site permits, a sidewalk cafe permit can run up to five years and be renewed at the Public Works and Utilities director's discretion under § 12.15.030(C)(3).

Because sidewalk cafes are listed among the uses named in § 12.15.030(C)(4), the operator must pay a periodic use fee equal to the right-of-way's rental value in addition to the site permit application fee, unless the zoning expressly allows the use outright. The permit is separate from, and additional to, any business license or health permit the restaurant already needs to operate.