Item 8BAGENDA ITEM # 8B
JANUARY 14, 2008
CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH
CITY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT
AGENDA ITEM: Request from Lee's Ice Cream Shop to place three tables with two seats each on the
public sidewalk in front of the business, which is at the northeast corner of East
Coast Drive and Atlantic Boulevard.
SUBMITTED BY: Sonya Doerr, AICP ,~,p
Community Development Director
DATE: December 17, 2007
BACKGROUND: Lee's Ice Cream has requested approval to place three small tables with two
seats each in front of their shop. The owners have stated that these would be brought indoors at the
close of each business day, and that they would not be adding seats, but moving existing seats from
indoors, therefore requiring no additional parking. Because this building is located at the edge of the
public sidewalk, aright-of--way lease as provided for within Section 24-115 (g) of the Central Business
District regulations must be approved by the City Commission in order to place these tables on the
sidewalk.
Lee's Ice Cream opened in August, and the owners have observed that when the weather is nice, their
customers prefer to take their ice cream outside, and will often sit on the sidewalk, in the landscaping,
or lean against the window sills since there is no outdoor seating in this area that is not used by
smokers. Staff has noted on numerous occasions that the sidewalk and entry area around the shop is
well maintained and kept in a very clean and litter free condition. This particular corner of the
sidewalk is wide, and it would not appear that placement of these three tables would create any
interference with pedestrians or other business entrances. Public Safety has also reviewed this request
and concurs. Such activity would seem to be consistent with the types of activities that should be
encouraged in Town Center and is also a common feature at ice cream shops.
Staff supports this request, but does wish to note the distinction between this request and other
requests to place tables and chairs along this same section of Town Center sidewalk. Staff, including
the Public Safety Department, have previously objected to the placement of restaurant tables where
full food service and alcoholic beverages would be served along this block of Town Center. Chapter 3
of the City Code prohibits the sale and consumption of Alcoholic Beverages on public sidewalks.
Also, the proximity to parking and traffic could create safety issues along areas of the sidewalk that
are not as wide as the corner in front of Lee's Ice Cream.
Outdoor seating for restaurants with Alcoholic Beverage service (subject to proper DABT licensing) is
permitted in the City, but this must be confined to private property. Staff submits that the nature of an
ice cream parlor where customers, often families, are purchasing and consuming the product in a short
amount of time mostly during day-time hours and the lack of outside food service make this more a
request for outside seating than for outside restaurant seating with full food and beverage service.
BUDGET: No budget issues.
RECOMMENDATION: Motion to authorize the City Manager to execute aright-of--way lease in accordance
with the provisions of Section 24-115(g) of the Land Development Regulations.
ATTACHMENTS: Letter of request from business owner.
REVIEWED BY CITY MANAGER:
January 14, 2008 regular meeting
AGENDA ITEM # 8B
JANUARY 14, 2008
Lee's Ice Cream -The owners request approval to place three small tables with a
total of six seats in this general location under the canopy. No food service will be
provided, and these tables and chairs will brought indoors at the close of each
business day.
AGENDA ITEM # 8B
JANUARY 14, 2008
Memorandum
To: Sonya Doerr, Community Development Director, City of Atlantic Be h
From: Christine Ottenstroer Fairman, CEO, Southern Ice Cream Group
Re: Lee's Ice Cream
Date: October 29, 2007
Cc: Charlotte Lombard, Director of Operations, Lee's Ice Cream
Kristie Pecci, Administration, Southcoast Capital Partnership
We are very excited about our new ice cream store in Atlantic Beach, on the corner of
East Coast Drive and Atlantic Boulevard in Beaches Town Center. Open since mid-
August, we are already building a good clientele and working hard to be good neighbors.
Hopefully you've had a chance to experience some of our delicious products... if not,
give me a call and we'll meet at the store to sample some soon!
Our store management has asked us to make this request for some external
enhancements that we think will add to the unique charm of Town Center and provide
new opportunities for our visitors. Please review and advise us on the next steps in the
process of gaining approval and moving forward.
1) Bike rack. Many of our guests arrive by bicycle, and often they have to place
them against the pillars in front of the store. These can block the flow of foot
traffic and are, in general, just in the way. We request that a bike rack be placed
next to the palm tree approximately ten (10) feet from our front door.
We have already secured an extra bike rack from the folks at Sea Turtle, and just
need an okay from the City to place it for the convenience of all of the visitors to
Town Center. Let us know how to proceed.
2) Outdoor seatins~. Much has been written recently about how attractive outside
seating has added to the ambiance of Town Center. (See Shorelines, 10/03/07.
"Outdoor seating gets a hearty OK." httg://www.jacksanville.com/tu-
online/stories/100307/nee 204541141.shtml).
We would like to add three tables and six chairs to the area immediately outside
our front window, underneath the awning. The tables and chairs are attractive
(see examples below), fit the community aesthetic, and will be taken inside each
evening. Please let us know the appropriate steps to advance this process.