West Covina, CA Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)

Section 26-125 governs outdoor dining citywide. Any new outdoor dining facility needs an administrative permit under Article VI, Division 6, while minor changes to an existing outdoor dining area go through the lighter minor-modification process in Article VI, Division 7. Dining on public walkways is limited to plaza-area commercial spaces offering meal, specialty food, or full menu service, and any outdoor dining on city-owned property needs a separate encroachment permit from the engineering division and, often, a lease agreement with indemnification of the city. A restaurant can't add sidewalk seating unless at least eight feet of sidewalk width exists at that location, and even then it must leave a minimum of four feet of unobstructed public walkway, though the Community Development Director can approve a different width.

The area can't obstruct sight lines or interfere with pedestrian or vehicle movement, and any borings for posts or recessed sleeves in a public surface need advance approval plus a $1,000 cash deposit or bond, in a form the City Attorney accepts, to guarantee the site gets restored. Operating rules layered on top of the permit include food and non-alcoholic beverages only unless an ABC-compliant alcohol permit is also secured, no merchandise display, ADA compliance, and a parking study if the dining area exceeds 25% of the restaurant's gross floor area. Fire department lighting and power standards and the city's live-entertainment permit rules also apply.