Outdoor Dining License

As the City recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, City staff are available for initial consultations and then processing applications with you. There are currently 42 active licenses in the City with several more in the works.  We look forward to working with you on planning code compliant outdoor dining and can make certain temporary accommodations once a plan is approved.

If you are wondering if your restaurant site is conducive to participating in the Outdoor Dining Program, you may request a pre-application site consultation with Mike Cloonan, Project Engineer I, mcloonan@santabarbaraca.gov. You may also contact Adam Hendel, Principal Engineer, ahendel@santabarbaraca.gov.

Submit applications to the Public Works Counter at 630 Garden Street or by visiting landuse.santabarbaraca.gov and following these instructions to submit online.

The following items may help when preparing applications:

• Application Submittal
• A detailed site plan on 8 1/2" x 11" paper. All sidewalk obstruction shall be noted and detailed dimensions shall be clearly shown. (See sample site plan.) The plan is required to demonstrate 8-feet of sidewalk clearance on State St (6-feet wide elsewhere) can be met.
• Outdoor Dining License Application and Guidelines
• A copy of your Certificate of Insurance naming the City of Santa Barbara as an additional insured.
• A photograph of your proposed Outdoor Dining area.
• A photograph or vendor specification on proposed furniture. This is for compliance with aesthetic design guidelines and Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.  Please ask about temporary accommodations related to aesthetic design guidelines through the end of the Emergency Recovery Extension and Transition Ordinance (ERETO) scheduled to end on December 31, 2023.
• Fees are currently waived through July 1, 2022, at which point application and annual renewal fees will be reestablished.

Note: Submittal of an application is not an approval to set up outdoor dining. Municipal Code Chapter 9.95 governs the use of sidewalks and rights of way for dining purposes. You may not set up dining on public sidewalks without an approved plan or license.

If you have any questions regarding the Outdoor Dining Program, please contact Mike Cloonan, Project Engineer I, at (805) 564-5365. You may also contact David Bers, Principal Engineer, at (805) 897-2635.