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City revisits downtown seating, displays
Officer: Revisions could aid local business efforts.
By Jeff Hardison
Lake City Code Enforcement Officer Sandra Caslow and other city staff created revisions to help downtown business interests operate within the bounds of the law, while keeping outside seating for diners and certain displays.
Input from Downtown Action Corp. members and the Downtown Development Committee are seen in the draft as well.
A 10-page, single-spaced document includes amendments to regulations for the “Commercial, Central Business District” of Lake City.
The CBD is the area with Railroad Street as its northern border, Northeast Hernando Avenue on the east, Duval Street (U.S. Highway 90) on the south and Northwest Main Boulevard (U.S. Highway 41) on the west.
These suggested revisions are scheduled to be under review by the Lake City Planning and Zoning Board and the Florida Department of Transportation, City Manager Scott Reynolds said. The members of the Planning and Zoning Board are Daniel Adel, Keith Couey, Walter Davis, William Kent Harriss,HARRISS HAS TWO “S”s Kurt Ruppert Sr., Mary Jane Woods and Marty Martinez.
After passing through that process, and having revisions if needed, the City Council can then adopt the revised definitions and rules.
The first draft of the proposed new rules allow outdoor seating, with several conditions, including:
— Tables and chairs must be brought inside when the sidewalk cafe is not in operation, like at night.
— Tables and chairs must be of a quality, design, material, size, elevation and workmanship to ensure safety and convenience of users, and to enhance the visual quality of the urban environment.
— Alcohol is prohibited on public property, such as sidewalks.
Other businesses may have a maximum of two chairs outside for seating based on width of storefront. One chair is allowed for each 15 feet of storefront.
No chairs or tables are allowed if they impede entry or exit from the business, and chairs shall be brought inside after business hours.
On-site outside displays are allowed, but specific regulations are noted for them.
On Marion Street, one display that is not to be more than six square-feet (for instance, a two-foot by three-foot table, display shelf of mannequin) and no taller than six feet.
On all other streets within the CBD, on-site outside sales and displays shall be limited to 25 percent of the linear feet of the street frontage of the building and are not to exceed six feet in height.
On-site displays are not to detract from required off-street parking, according to the proposed rules.
“Any and all outdoor displays shall not contain offensive language or gestures, shall not expose breasts, buttocks, or genitals of mannequins,” the first draft of the proposed rules note.
The proposed rules include extensive language for signs, including number, size, color and designs of illuminated signs, banner signs, projecting signs, window signs, sandwich board signs, menu signs and awning signs.
There is even a sandwich board sign permit application, which includes a one-time fee.
“However if permit is revoked, it is for the remainder of the calendar year. You may reapply after January 1 and shall be subject to another fee. The permit fee for Sandwich Board Signs installed without a permit shall be double the regular permit fee,” the proposed application shows.
Sandwich board signs that are displayed without an approved permit will be disposed of at the owner’s expense, according to the proposed regulations.
Although the regulations are not yet adopted, downtown business interests have returned to the laid-back atmosphere with outside seating at cafes and other displays to attract customers.
Input from Downtown Action Corp. members and the Downtown Development Committee are seen in the draft as well.
A 10-page, single-spaced document includes amendments to regulations for the “Commercial, Central Business District” of Lake City.
The CBD is the area with Railroad Street as its northern border, Northeast Hernando Avenue on the east, Duval Street (U.S. Highway 90) on the south and Northwest Main Boulevard (U.S. Highway 41) on the west.
These suggested revisions are scheduled to be under review by the Lake City Planning and Zoning Board and the Florida Department of Transportation, City Manager Scott Reynolds said. The members of the Planning and Zoning Board are Daniel Adel, Keith Couey, Walter Davis, William Kent Harriss,HARRISS HAS TWO “S”s Kurt Ruppert Sr., Mary Jane Woods and Marty Martinez.
After passing through that process, and having revisions if needed, the City Council can then adopt the revised definitions and rules.
The first draft of the proposed new rules allow outdoor seating, with several conditions, including:
— Tables and chairs must be brought inside when the sidewalk cafe is not in operation, like at night.
— Tables and chairs must be of a quality, design, material, size, elevation and workmanship to ensure safety and convenience of users, and to enhance the visual quality of the urban environment.
— Alcohol is prohibited on public property, such as sidewalks.
Other businesses may have a maximum of two chairs outside for seating based on width of storefront. One chair is allowed for each 15 feet of storefront.
No chairs or tables are allowed if they impede entry or exit from the business, and chairs shall be brought inside after business hours.
On-site outside displays are allowed, but specific regulations are noted for them.
On Marion Street, one display that is not to be more than six square-feet (for instance, a two-foot by three-foot table, display shelf of mannequin) and no taller than six feet.
On all other streets within the CBD, on-site outside sales and displays shall be limited to 25 percent of the linear feet of the street frontage of the building and are not to exceed six feet in height.
On-site displays are not to detract from required off-street parking, according to the proposed rules.
“Any and all outdoor displays shall not contain offensive language or gestures, shall not expose breasts, buttocks, or genitals of mannequins,” the first draft of the proposed rules note.
The proposed rules include extensive language for signs, including number, size, color and designs of illuminated signs, banner signs, projecting signs, window signs, sandwich board signs, menu signs and awning signs.
There is even a sandwich board sign permit application, which includes a one-time fee.
“However if permit is revoked, it is for the remainder of the calendar year. You may reapply after January 1 and shall be subject to another fee. The permit fee for Sandwich Board Signs installed without a permit shall be double the regular permit fee,” the proposed application shows.
Sandwich board signs that are displayed without an approved permit will be disposed of at the owner’s expense, according to the proposed regulations.
Although the regulations are not yet adopted, downtown business interests have returned to the laid-back atmosphere with outside seating at cafes and other displays to attract customers.
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Concerned wrote on Jan 3, 2009 12:52 AM: