West New York, NJ Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)

Article IX of Chapter 352, adopted 4-14-2021 by Ord. No. 8/21 and amended in its entirety 4-27-2022 by Ord. No. 5/22, governs outdoor dining in the Town of West New York. Section 352-41 makes it unlawful to create, establish, run, maintain or otherwise operate an outdoor cafe on the sidewalks or on private property without a currently valid license. The fee is $250 annually. The application, with a $250 annual application fee under § 352-44F, goes to the Construction Code Official, who must act within 10 business days of a complete submission or tell the applicant within 10 business days what is missing.

The application needs owner and officer details, the owner's consent if the applicant does not own the premises, and three sets of a scaled layout plan. The plan shows tables, chairs and umbrellas, a portable enclosure that can include live plantings and is open to the air above three feet, and awnings or umbrellas with at least 72 inches of clearance. It also shows fire hydrants, meters and poles within 10 feet. A cafe on the public sidewalk sits directly in front of its restaurant, or in front of an adjacent lot with the same owner, and keeps a clear path at least 60 inches wide.

Operation is limited. The first seasonal cycle is May 1 through October 20 and the second is December 1 through April 1, and the license is valid for the calendar year (§ 352-60, amended 6-5-2024 by Ord. No. 12/24). Hours run from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Items come in daily by 10:00 p.m., and the area is cleaned by 9:00 a.m. Food is prepared indoors, and no amplified sound is allowed.

A licensee carries liability insurance of $300,000 per person and $1,000,000 per accident for bodily injury and for property damage, naming the Town as additional insured, and files an indemnification statement. The license is personal: a transfer ends it. Alcohol cannot be the primary or sole item sold, and an ABC license must be amended to cover the cafe area.