Tempe, AZ Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)

' Subsection B, Procedure, requires every outdoor seating proposal to go through a minor Development Plan Review under Section 6-306 first, covering the furniture, materials and other exterior changes involved. If any part of that seating sits within the public right-of-way, meaning the sidewalk itself rather than private property, the business also needs an encroachment permit and a right-of-way permit for any construction, both authorized by the City Engineer or a designee. A business that wants to serve alcohol in the outdoor area needs a liquor license plus a security plan under Tempe City Code Chapter 4, Alcoholic Beverages, and Chapter 26, Article V, Security Plans, and any liquor consumption approved outdoors must also comply with all applicable Arizona Revised Statutes on liquor licensing and designated non-smoking areas.

Subsection C sets the physical standards once approved: any signage in the seating area or right-of-way must meet Part 4, Chapter 9's sign rules; the seating area must be clearly and continuously divided from the public portion of the sidewalk; and the layout cannot obstruct pedestrian traffic, must leave at least six feet of clear sidewalk pedestrian area at every point, and must keep walkways within the seating level with the public sidewalk and accessible to people with disabilities.