City of St. Louis has extended outdoor seating permit program through end of 2021

Even if you have a restaurant with sidewalk space or a large parking lot, moving dining outside isn’t as simple as setting up some tables and a tent. Usually, restaurants need to apply for a permit through the city and be approved, a course that many local institutions have pursued throughout this year. Fortunately, the city has been making it a bit easier to go through that process.  

According to a statement released late last week, the city of St. Louis has extended the Temporary Outdoor Seating Permit Program through Dec. 31, 2021. This means the city is waiving fees for applying for the permit and is offering a streamlined process for approval, though there may be additional fees for permits that “require the closure of city streets and/or the blocking of parking meters.”  

“I’m very aware of the many challenges the pandemic has created for our local restaurants and other small businesses, and their workforce,” said mayor Lyda Krewson in the statement. “I see this as an opportunity for us to continue to help them as much as possible so they can serve more customers and hopefully keep people on the payroll while still being [able] to safely practice robust social distancing.”  

The permit program began in May of this year and, according to the city, has approved about 40 permits so far.