1 Parklet and Outdoor Dining Standards DRAFT
Parklets and outdoor dining provide the Cotati community with a broader array of dining options and help support Cotati’s businesses. The following standards work in tandem with the Cotati Land Use Code to manage the location, operation, and appearance of parklets and outdoor dining.
For more information, contact the Community Development Department at 707-665-3636.
Definitions
Parklet: A food and/or beverage service and/or customer dining installation or facility on public or private parking space(s), operated by an adjacent permitted business with City approval.
Developed Parklet: A parklet that is semi-permanent and intended to be used by the operator on a regular, frequent basis.
Temporary Parklet: A parklet that is used intermittently or infrequently by the adjacent business(es), as described below, and is removed at the close of each day of operation.
Outdoor dining: A dining area operated by an adjacent food and/or beverage service business on a sidewalk or other outdoor area on public or private property, but not in parking spaces.
Operator: The business owner that receives City approval for and operates a parklet or outdoor dining. This business must be adjacent to the parklet or outdoor dining area.
A. Standards Applicable to All Parklets and Outdoor Dining General
1. All parklets and outdoor dining areas must receive City and Rancho Adobe Fire Protection District (RAFPD) approval for Planning/Zoning consistency, design, accessibility/ADA compliance, and fire and traffic safety. A Minor Use Permit is required for outdoor dining or a parklet on private property if the proposed location is within 100 feet of a dwelling on a different property that is zoned RR, RVL, NL, NM, or NU.
2. Parklets and outdoor dining on public property require the operator to enter into a License Agreement with the City, liability insurance to meet City’s standards, and payment of an annual fee. For parklets, the fee is $1.00 per square foot of public property occupied. Fees for outdoor dining are determined on a case-by-case basis. Licensee is responsible for the installation, maintenance, and upon termination of license, removal of parklet/outdoor dining and return of the space to its prior condition or better.
3. All parklets and outdoor dining may require a Building Permit, as determined by the Community Development Director.
4. The property owner’s written permission is required for private property installations.
5. A business may operate both outdoor dining and a parklet at a single location. 2 6. Any alcoholic beverage sales or consumption taking place outdoors must meet all City of Cotati and California Department of Beverage Control (ABC) requirements for the sale and service of alcoholic beverages.
7. All parklets and outdoor dining shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition at all times, including a 10-foot litter-free area around the operation and prompt removal of any food or liquid that spills onto the ground.
8. Developed parklets and outdoor dining may include limited food preparation and sales of prepared foods, with City approval, provided that the following standards are met:
a. Approval is obtained from County of Sonoma Environmental Health. b. The total area used for this activity is no more than 100 square feet and is contained on a table, cart, or stand that is raised a minimum of 30 inches above grade.
c. Conformance with CMC Section 17.30.070 Performance Standards for All Land Uses.
9. Temporary parklets on public parking spaces may provide food preparation and service by a food truck or food cart in compliance with Sections 17.42.250(A) through (D).
10. Parklets and outdoor dining may not feature amplified music unless specifically authorized to do so by a limited term, special event, or other applicable City permit.
11. Parklets and outdoor dining may operate only during the operating hours of the operator’s adjacent business.
Design and Building
12. Installations on public property must be located adjacent to the operator’s business location, and the linear space allocated shall generally not exceed the length of the business’ street frontage.
13. Furnishings, fencing, railing, and other components shall be constructed primarily of finished wood or metal. No plastic furnishings shall be allowed without City approval.
14. No business names, logos, or advertising shall be allowed on furnishings, umbrellas, fencing, lighting, barricades, diverters, planters, or other components.
15. Any signs proposed will require a Sign Permit from the City.
16. Installations shall not block visibility of nearby businesses, encroach by more than 1/3 into street tree canopies, or block driveways or utilities.
17. No element of installations on public property may penetrate the street or sidewalk surface.
18. Battery- and solar-powered lights are allowed.
19. Electricity may be extended to a developed parklet or outdoor dining, with City approval. In general, power cords will be limited to one and must be run overhead. Temporary parklets must be completely self-contained.
3 20. Heating and cooking devices require City and RAFPD approval. Heaters or cooking devices must have a minimum 5-foot clearance from flammable materials, and shall not be placed underneath canopies, awnings, umbrellas, or trees, unless expressly authorized by the Cotati Fire Marshall. Any cooking or food preparation surface must be raised at least 30 inches above grade.
Safety and Accessibility
21. Any installation must preserve a minimum 4-foot unobstructed path of travel along sidewalks.
22. No outdoor dining or parklet may obstruct building entrances, emergency access, fire apparatus, access to parked vehicles, driveways, or bus stops.
23. All outdoor dining and parklets must be maintained in a clean, sanitary condition.
24. No chemicals or hazardous substances shall be used in the maintenance of parklets or outdoor dining in such a way that they might run off into the street, gutter, and/or storm drains.
25. The City is not responsible for damage or impacts to parklets or outdoor dining from vehicles, routine City maintenance, or emergency repairs to City utilities and/or street features.
26. Any tables, seats, counters, drink rails, and other amenities must meet accessible/ADAcompliant design requirements.
B. Standards Applicable to Outdoor Dining (Non-Parklet) Only
1. All outdoor dining shall provide a minimum clearance of 5 feet around fire hydrants and from driveways, 3 feet around fire department connections on buildings, 10 feet from bus stops, and shall not obstruct curb returns or curb ramps.
2. On public property, market-style shade umbrellas may be used and shall be made of canvas or canvas-like material. A minimum vertical clearance of 7 feet is required under umbrellas; maximum height of umbrellas is 9 feet. Umbrellas must be stored in the closed position during non-operating hours.
3. On private property, semi-permanent covering, trellising, pergolas, and canvas shade cloths or umbrellas are allowed and shall be anchored consistent with manufacturer’s guidelines to withstand windloads, and in a manner acceptable to the City. Height of roofing/covering and supporting posts shall be as approved by the City, generally a minimum of 7 feet and maximum of 10 feet.
C. Standards Applicable to Parklets Only
General
1. Parklets in the public right of way may only be located on streets with existing on-street parking spaces.
4 2. Parklets proposed for streets with a speed limit of 30mph may require additional design mitigations to ensure safety. Parklets are prohibited on streets with speed limits of 35mph or more.
3. A maximum of two public parking spaces, or three private lot parking spaces, may be occupied by a parklet. Accessible/ADA parking spaces and loading zones may not be used for parklets.
4. A parking evaluation will be performed by the City for parklets proposed on private property to ensure that removal of parking will not adversely impact neighboring businesses or residents.
5. No portion of a parklet using public parking spaces may be located outside the boundary of the parking spaces themselves, with the exception of a transition between the sidewalk and parklet as approved by the City. Where a business has both a parklet and outdoor dining, a minimum of 4 feet of unobstructed pedestrian travel path must be maintained between the two.
D. Standards Applicable to Developed Parklets Only
Safety and Accessibility
1. Parklets shall be located such that the entire parklet area maintains the following clearances:
a. 20 feet from an intersection from the approaching direction b. 10 feet from an intersection from the exiting direction c. 10 feet from bus stops
d. 5 feet from fire hydrants or other fire department connections e. 2 feet from any active driveway
f. Access to public utilities shall not be obstructed
g. Parklets located within 35 feet of street intersections may be prohibited or limited in height and area, at the City’s discretion.
2. Parklets shall include minimum safety buffers as follows: 4 feet from adjacent parallel parking spaces; 2 feet from adjacent diagonal parking spaces or perpendicular parking spaces; and 2 feet from traffic bike lanes. Safety buffers will be included in the total parklet footprint area allocated to the business.
3. Traffic safety elements shall be installed per City requirements, at applicant’s expense, and must be located within the total parklet footprint area allocated to the business.
4. Traffic barricades or their equivalent will be required on all right-of-way and parking areas adjacent to a parklet. Potential barricades may include steel stock tank planters, heavy wood planter boxes, wheel stops, or similar objects.
5. Edges and corners of parklets should be marked with high-intensity retro-reflective tape or reflectors to be visible to drivers at night.
6. The City may require additional safety measures at its discretion. 5 7. Each parklet shall include a readily visible address for emergency responders.
Design and Maintenance
8. Parklets shall be delineated by open fencing or other approved barrier material of 30 to 42 inches high. Intermittently-placed posts exceeding 42 inches are allowed to support covering, but should not block clear visibility through the parklet. Fully transparent panels above 42 inches high to block the wind may be considered.
9. If used, umbrellas shall be made of canvas or canvas-like material, and shall be stored in the closed position when the subject business is closed.
10. Semi-permanent covering, trellising, pergolas, and canvas shade cloths are allowed and shall be anchored consistent with manufacturer’s guidelines to withstand windloads, and in a manner acceptable to the City. Reasonable height of roofing/covering and supporting posts shall be as approved by the City, generally a minimum vertical clearance of 7 feet and a maximum height of 10 feet. Coverings shall not extend over a public sidewalk.
11. Parklets adjacent to a sidewalk/curb must have solid flooring installed to create a stable, smooth, slip-resistant ADA-compliant raised platform of less than 2% slope. The flooring must be flush with the sidewalk/curb, with no more than ½ inch horizontal gap and no more than ¼ inch vertical gap or level change.
12. Parklet flooring must be designed and constructed to avoid water pooling underneath, allow regular cleaning underneath, and avoid impeding curbline drainage. A minimum 6 inch by 6 inch of clear gutter space must be provided along the entire length of the platform, and should be maintained so that gutter remains unblocked, including regular trash removal. The rest of the flooring platform shall be designed to prevent debris and trash from going underneath. The area underneath the parklet flooring platform and the adjacent gutter shall be cleaned out weekly, preferably by sweeping or blowing. Trash shall not be allowed to accumulate under or adjacent to the parklet, or to enter any adjacent storm drains.
13. Buffer areas shall be maintained and kept clear of trash and obstructions such as garbage bins, bicycles, etc.
14. The City may periodically require the operators of parklets on public property to remove the installation for maintenance.
E. Standards Applicable to Temporary Parklets Only
1. Temporary parklets may be approved by the City on a case-by-case basis. Temporary parklets must generally adhere to the standards for developed parklets in Section D above, with modifications allowed by the City consistent with the short-term nature of the installation. Measures to ensure public and customer safety and accessibility must be included.
2. A temporary parklet must be fully dismantled and all furniture and equipment removed from the parking spaces daily or at the end of operation, as required by the City.
3. Temporary parklets may be installed for a maximum of 40 days per calendar year, for no more than 3 consecutive days, and with at least 4 non-parklet operating days in between. 6 4. Temporary parklets must be spaced at least 100 feet from another temporary parklet (while in operation).
5. Temporary parklets on public parking spaces may be occupied by food trucks or food carts in compliance with CMC Sections 17.42.250(A) through (D), with City approval.
6. Temporary parklets in private parking spaces that feature food trucks or food carts shall be allowed consistent with Sections 17.42.250(A) through (E).
Updated 3/23/26