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Philadelphia City Council Tackles Sidewalk Café Regulations with New Rules and Licensing Requirements

Official:Amending Section 9-208 of Title 9 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Sidewalk Cafés,” to revise standards and requirements associated with Sidewalk Cafes; all under certain terms and conditions.

Sponsor: Councilmember Domb

Introduced: September 30, 2021

: Committee on Streets and Services

business procurement zoning

No one voted on this bill

This bill was introduced in the 2020–2023 Council term and when that term ran out. The public record shows no committee vote and no floor vote at any stage, so no member of Council ever went on record for or against it.

That is not unusual here. Of the 8,465 bills introduced between 2000 and 2025, 1,624 lapsed without a single recorded vote. Ninety percent of bills that became law carry a roll call. Three percent of lapsed bills do. How this works.

Plain-Language Summary

This bill revises standards and requirements for sidewalk cafes in Philadelphia, including licensing and location restrictions.

What This Bill Does

AI-written. Every figure is checked against the bill text.

Revised definition of a "restaurant" to require at least three tables for indoor dining on a regular basis.
Allowing sidewalk cafes to be maintained adjacent to any restaurant within the city, subject to license approval and compliance with requirements.
Removal of location restrictions for sidewalk cafes in certain areas of the city (beyond the areas listed in the original text, likely due to an error).
No changes to licensing and requirements, but the bill implies that the existing requirements and regulations for sidewalk cafes remain in place.