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    Is there a problem with sidewalk patios downtown?

    UrbanOhio Forums wrote Downtown Columbus sidewalks: WTF?

    Posted by UrbanSurfin on: April 29, 2008

    In Columbus, apparently, it’s all or nothing. It used to be almost impossible to have sidewalk cafes, leaving wide sidewalks for pedestrians. Now the sidewalk cafes are increasingly permanent (even in snow), leaving little room for pedestrians. Until 2003, restaurants had to pay a $27 fee per chair over the 180-day “outdoor dining season” — unless they had a liquor license, in which case the fee was $63 per chair (35 cents per chair per day). Starting in 2003, there was a $500 “cafe-table lease” (leasing the sidewalk space) per business the first year, renewable for $50 each year thereafter.

    But the leased space soon became permanent, blocked off with fences bolted to the sidewalk. Even in snow and ice. Even when the storefronts became vacant. Here is a tour of sidewalks in the block immediately north of the Ohio Statehouse:

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    Walker Evans
    Walker Evanshttps://columbusunderground.com
    Walker Evans is the co-founder of Columbus Underground, along with his wife and business partner Anne Evans. Walker has turned local media into a full time career over the past decade and serves on multiple boards and committees throughout the community.
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