Lang
4/24/22
Downtown Iowa City restaurant owners are asking city officials to reduce permitting fees for outdoor cafes.
According to the Press-Citizen, other cities have much lower fees than Iowa City. In Cedar Rapids, a business needs only to pay a $50 application fee and a $10 lease fee. Ames only requires a flat $35 annual fee.
Iowa City has much steeper rates. In order to operate an outdoor dining area in the public right-of-way, Iowa City requires businesses to pay $5 per square foot, $10 per square foot if located on a structure or platform, and $10 per square foot if on an elevated planter. There are additional fees of $12 per day for taking up parking spots on a public street, and $45 a year to access city-owned power outlets.
The Iowa City Downtown District is asking the city to cut those fees in half, as well as allowing business to apply for multi-year permits and allowing high-investment patios to remain open year-round. Restaurant owners say tearing down and storing patio setups can be expensive.
As of now, patios located on the street cannot open before April 1st and must be removed by the Tuesday following the final home Iowa football game.
The city also requires permit seekers to pay the fees at the beginning of the year, which many business owners say can be problematic.
City councilor Janice Weiner told the newspaper that the issue will likely be addressed at a future council meeting or work session.