Possible revisions to sidewalk café ordinance cause concerns - Greater Milwaukee Today

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WAUKESHA — Possible revisions to Waukesha’s sidewalk café ordinance have caused mixed concerns from some downtown business owners.

The ordinance amendment was supposed to be presented at the Ordinance and License Committee meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday but was tabled for the committee’s next meeting on June 8.

Ordinance and License Committee Chair Steve Johnson said they decided to table the amended ordinance after contact with downtown businesses.

Johnson said they did not have the ability to allow public comment at the committee meeting.

“They didn’t have the chance to speak before the committee and we wanted to give them a fair chance,” Johnson said.

He said he hopes the next meeting won’t be virtual.

“I read through (the revised ordinance) a couple of times and there’s obviously some changes that I believe need to be discussed and vetted,” he said.

The revised ordinance will allow downtown wine bars to have sidewalk cafés. Under the city’s current ordinance, sidewalk cafés are limited only to establishments that receive at least 30% of their revenue from the sale of food.

The revised ordinance also would create new regulations, such as rigid enclosures around the sidewalk cafés that are between 36 and 42 inches in height.

It also would create provisions that wouldn’t allow for the backs of chairs towards the curb, would require stricter cleaning procedures and more.

While many downtown business owners supported the inclusion of wine bars, they also plan to provide input at the next committee meeting with their concerns on how other revisions would impact them.

Laura and Dan Strackbein, owners of Rochester Deli and Periwinkle’s Bakery, said they don’t understand where some of the restrictions in the ordinance are coming from, if they are related to alcohol, or other concerns.

“We haven’t heard of any incidents where people have injured themselves or, relating to alcohol and people spilling into the streets from the current tables, the way they’ve been set up around downtown,” Laura Strackbein said.

She also said another part of the ordinance is concerning.

“They’re also proposing that food has to be brought out by an employee, and if you eat at The Rochester Deli or The Steaming Cup, people are free to go out to the tables and take their food out there as the table becomes available; we do not have wait staff here,” she said.

Dan Strackbein said from looking at the revised ordinance, he had financial concerns.

“It’s almost like they’re making it to the point where it’s not going to be financially possible for places like us to be able to follow the amendments and different building codes,” he said.

Susie Taylor, owner of Taylor’s People’s Park, said she was excited to see the inclusion of wine bars in the ordinance.

“There were some things that were good, I was happy to see the ordinance included something for restaurants to expand in front of other storefronts during the COVID time, because the key is to have more outdoor dining,” she said. However, Taylor also said she was concerned about the potential costs included in the revisions, such as purchasing new barriers.

Dan Italiano, owner of Magellan’s on Main Street, said he was also a little caught off guard by the ordinance.

“There were a couple of things that specifically dealt with my outdoor dining that had me concerned,” he said.

The next Ordinance and License Committee meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. June 8 at City Hall. The agenda has not yet been made available.

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Possible revisions to sidewalk café ordinance cause concerns - Greater Milwaukee Today
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