Park Ridge’s elected officials reaffirmed their support for charging restaurants a fee to use public space for outdoor dining, but only if the fee is “nominal.”
That was the message conveyed during a Feb. 28 discussion of how the city should address outdoor dining going forward.
Each of the city’s seven aldermen said they were comfortable charging restaurants a fee to use parking spaces, streets and other public areas to set up tables during warm weather months. The city already has a policy and fee for sidewalk cafes. The cost of a sidewalk cafe license is $50 annually.
Fourth Ward Ald. Harmony Harrington said the city should establish a “relatively low baseline” for fees related to expanded outdoor dining — a concept she said will help Park Ridge “thrive” due to its popularity.
“I don’t want to place punitive barriers in front of our businesses, but I want to be very fair for the use of public property,” Harrington said.
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“I don’t think anyone wants to be punitive to the restaurants,” replied 3rd Ward Ald. Gail Wilkening. “That’s the last thing we want to do. We finally have a vital Uptown.”
Wilkening called a “nominal fee” the “fair” thing to do and a way for the city to cover costs associated with blocking off public areas for dining. Other aldermen echoed this statement.
“If it was free, what’s to prohibit anyone from grabbing as much street space, parking spaces, etc. and not efficiently using the space?” added 5th Ward Ald. Charlie Melidosian.
Drew Awsumb, director of community preservation and development for the city of Park Ridge, said staff will prepare some cost options and bring them to the City Council for preliminary consideration on March 14.
No specific dollar amounts were discussed during the council’s Feb. 28 meeting. Earlier, the council had discussed the possibility of establishing fees that are based on the amount of square footage used for outdoor dining on publicly-owned spaces.
Due to capacity restrictions and financial impacts on restaurants due to the pandemic, in 2020 and 2021, a portion of Main Street was closed to traffic and parking in order for restaurants to set up tables. Some other Uptown restaurants expanded their outdoor dining footprint using parking spaces, street space or additional sidewalk areas.
No additional fees were charged for the use of public spaces.
Mel Thillens, who is opening a barbecue restaurant on Main Street this year, was the only Main Street business owner to address the council about potential fees on Feb. 28. He noted that not all restaurants generate the same amount of income, based on what they sell, and also cautioned the city against making any fee “cost prohibitive for people to participate.”
“If the public, the City Council, the residents and business community think it’s a good idea, it may not necessarily have to be at a steep cost to these businesses,” Thillens said.
Sixth Ward Ald. Rick Biagi said the city needs to consider retail stores when developing an outdoor dining fee, suggesting that in the future, a shop could open a coffee bar inside and want to have tables on the street as well as racks of merchandise.
“I’m not saying that’s good or bad,” Biagi said. “I’m just saying we have to, I think, consider that because retail is going in that direction now as another way to get people to come out to the stores.”
The Arlington Heights Village Board on Jan. 18 voted to increase the village’s food and beverage tax as part of making outdoor dining an annual offering in the community.
The tax, which will be passed on to customers, will increase by 75 cents for every $100 spent at restaurants within the village’s Arlington Alfresco zone, and will be effective year-round. Arlington Alfresco is scheduled to open April 29, according to the village.