Geneva eyes more sidewalk cafes, no time limits on parking for Little Traveler on program days

GENEVA – Liquor license holders in Geneva who also have sidewalk cafes may be able to include those in their liquor license applications for an additional $200, once city staff brings a formal proposal forward.

At a special Committee of the Whole meeting Monday, Geneva aldermen gave consensus for staff to create an amendment to liquor licensing for sidewalk cafes on public property.

Aldermen also had consensus to have staff prepare a way for Michael Simon, owner of The Little Traveler, to have no hourly restrictions on nearby parking so guests attending morning programs don’t get parking tickets.

Sidewalk cafe permits have been allowed in the city since 1995. Examples include Starbucks on State Street, All Chocolate Kitchen on Third Street and Cocoa Bean on Seventh Street, which all have outside tables on the public sidewalk, Economic Development Director Cathleen Tymoszenko said.

“There’s been some subtle changes to state statutory language and from that language we researched some comparable communities – some non-home-rule communities,” Tymoszenko said.

Among the rules are that items must be immediately adjacent to the building, not extended beyond the storefront and must allow 5 feet of pedestrian passage.

Tymoszenko said what they would be looking for in an updated code would be the requirement for dram shop insurance, clarifying language as to what is allowed in the cafe area – prohibiting outdoor heaters, bussing and food prep stations.

The goal is to help local businesses draw more foot traffic into the downtown, but still allow the free flow of pedestrian passage, Tymoszenko said.

“We did a quick study of what this would mean and how it would impact the community,” Tymoszenko said.

“Most State Street liquor licensees – from Ale House to Buttermilk and a few licensees on Third Street, both sides closer to State from Niche to Nosh – would have an opportunity for a sidewalk cafe, to be able to put out a couple of tables,” Tymoszenko said.

“This could really help drive more foot traffic to State Street. It could attract customers that drive through town and they see that there’s tables and there’s opportunities for outdoor dining,” Tymoszenko said. “And we hear from the restaurants that there continues to be strong customer demand for outside dining. And this would really showcase for the community if you would see people outside having fun in front of these places.”

Second Ward Alderman Bradley Kosirog said he supported having staff members bring the code amendment before the committee and the council.

“I love the idea, too. I think we need to be competitive and make our downtown more vibrant with this,” Kosirog said. “I think this is a great idea.”

As to the parking issues at The Little Traveler, Tymoszenko said Simon’s store hosts about 12 events between July and December and about 59 parking spaces on Fulton and Fourth have been identified as those where the three-hour limit would be lifted.

“They would not be reserved or exclusive,” Tymoszenko said. “If someone else is parking there, it would not be an issue.”

Simon said the events go from 9 a.m. to noon and can bring more than 100 people.

“We’ve been doing special events at the Traveler for probably 20 years and we’ve certainly ramped it up since COVID and since it’s our 100th anniversary we’re doing a lot more and having a lot of fun with it,” Simon said. “The term we use is ‘experiential shopping.’ Because of COVID, people are doing a lot more shopping online, we all know that. So to get them to come into our store, we have to entice them with other things. Hopefully, they’re going to spend some money.”

The Little Traveler’s guests come into the store for breakfast at 9 a.m., go over to St. Mark’s church at 10 a.m. for a program and come back with a shopping coupon at 11:30 a.m. to shop, “then hopefully go somewhere else in Geneva for lunch afterward,” Simon said. “Half are gone by noon.”

Until now, the Traveler had an agreement with the police. The parking patrol officer would skip their blocks on the days of the programs, but now the department said it won’t work with them anymore, Simon said.

Instead, what is proposed is a formal licensing agreement with the store that when customers buy their program tickets, they will get a placard to put in the vehicles so police know they’re in town for a program. Parking restrictions would remain the same for all downtown users. Little Traveler event attendees who display a placard would not have time restrictions.

“The idea is not to reserve spaces, just to make them available without time limit,” Tymoszenko said.

The Little Traveler would pay a fee for the spaces to be used without time restriction. The fee would be equal to the Route 31 overflow lot, at a rate of $1.75 per space per day.

Both proposals will be brought before the aldermen at a regular Committee of the Whole and then before the City Council for final action.