Regina city council changes rules around outdoor eating

Regina’s city council has made a few changes to the rules surrounding patios for restaurants in local commercial areas.

On Monday night, council decided to change a bylaw, allowing areas to eat and drink outside restaurants in local commercial zones, but with some caveats. It has to enhance or compliment the neighbourhood, it has to be sensitive to existing, and areas zone for future, residential.

Each application will be looked at on a case-by-case basis, and approval could include other conditions like appropriate size in the space available, landscaping and screening, and compliance with relevant laws and bylaws.

The problem came up after people in the Lakeview neighbourhood complained about a deck area behind The Hill Caffe, at 3414 Hill Ave.

Four people presented at city council in favour of the amendment to the bylaw and against the back patio at the cafe. They complained it was too loud, encroached on neighbouring property and could lower property values.

City council decided to allow Hill Caffe to have a front patio, but not allow the deck out back. By the time the meeting rolled around, council noted that the deck had been taken down.