West Palm Beach, FL Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)

Section 78-342(a) makes it unlawful for any restaurant or retail establishment to operate a sidewalk cafe or place tables, chairs, umbrellas or other seating on a city sidewalk without first obtaining a sidewalk café permit, and § 78-342(f) limits eligibility to licensed restaurants and retail uses; the city does not issue these permits for county- or state-owned sidewalks. Under § 78-342(g), each permit runs for a fixed one-year term from October 1 through September 30, and § 78-349(b) requires a one-time application fee the first time a business applies, followed by an annual renewal fee, plus a separate annual sidewalk usage fee under § 78-349(c) based on the square footage of the permitted area.

Every permitted café must maintain a minimum pedestrian clear path measured under Table 78-1 in § 78-344: six feet along Clematis Street between Flagler Drive and Rosemary Avenue and along Rosemary Avenue between Clematis Street and Okeechobee Boulevard, five feet on other streets inside the Downtown Master Plan area, and three feet eight inches elsewhere in the city, though the development services director can require a wider path in congested areas or approve a narrower one on tight sidewalks. Section 78-345(h) additionally bars any cooking, cooking equipment or open flame on the permitted sidewalk area, and umbrellas must clear at least seven feet vertically and sit two feet back from the vehicle travel lane under § 78-345(l). Insurance of at least $1,000,000 combined single limit is required under § 78-350(b), and every sidewalk café automatically suspends the moment the city issues a high wind or tropical storm warning under § 78-351(a).