On Tuesday, December 17, Chicago City Council passed legislation in support of extended regulatory relief for businesses. This comes at a time when Chicago businesses have to adapt to the phase three reopening.
Sidewalk Café Reforms
All current Sidewalk Café Permits will be considered active through May 31, 2021 and businesses with a Sidewalk Café Permit can operate their current Sidewalk Cafes until that date without renewing. There will be temporary adjustments to the sidewalk café permit to reduce costs, expand the opportunity for revenue and expedite the process to obtain a permit.
- Permit fees issued for the 2021 season will benefit from temporary reforms implemented earlier this year: permit fee reduction of 75 percent
- They will be able to expand front of a neighbor's frontage, which was previously prohibited.
- A new application for this extension will be required and it's essential to receive local Alderman approval.
- A new application for this extension will be required and it's essential to receive local Alderman approval.
- The permitting process has been expedited for timely use.
Click here to read more about Sidewalk Café reforms. To learn more about sidewalk cafés in Chicago and how Burnham can help throughout your process, click here.
These temporary modifications give the opportunity for several small businesses to reopen with new guidelines and limitations. Burnham is experienced in obtaining business licenses and permits, and our team is available to answer any questions you may have on obtaining one with the City of Chicago for the 2020 season and beyond. Read the full notice here.
