Montclair Tries To Ease Pandemic Pain, Waives Sidewalk Café Fees

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Montclair is trying to boost local restaurants this spring by waiving sidewalk café permit fees, officials announced.

According to Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller, the township will waive sidewalk café permit fees, as it did last year, to provide continued assistance to local food establishments during the coronavirus pandemic.

Sidewalk café permit fees in Montclair are $150 for 12 seats or fewer, and $250 for more than 12 seats.

“By eliminating the sidewalk café permit fees in 2020, we made it easier for our food establishments to provide outdoor dining options for their patrons,” Spiller said, adding that he and town council members hope that even more local restaurants will offer outdoor dining services this year.

“Along with increased indoor capacity numbers, our businesses and restaurants have a much more hopeful 2021 ahead,” said Jason Gleason, executive director of the Montclair Center BID.

“On behalf of all the businesses in Montclair, we would like to thank the mayor, the council and the township for embracing the governor’s framework to help businesses expand outdoor dining,” Gleason said.

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