St. Charles changes First Street Plaza layout, adds 1,200 square feet of dining space
Spring in St. Charles means patio season is fast approaching and outdoor dining at the First Street Plaza will look a little different this year.
City council members recently approved three changes: a new layout for the dining areas on the plaza, changes to the regulations for decorations and aesthetic aspects, and a new $2,000 deposit the city will charge restaurants to use the plaza for outdoor dining.
The new layout would add 1,200 square feet of dining space to the plaza, increasing the total patio footprint from 7,950 to 9,150 square feet.
Part of the plans call for removing a section of the barrier wall at the west-most end of the plaza, to create more dining space and allow the walkway to flow out toward Second Street.
The outdoor dining areas of Gia Mia and McNally’s will increase, but no changes are planned for the dining areas of La Zaza, La Mesa or Alter Brewing.
McNally’s will add 32 seats, bringing the total outdoor dining section to 84 and increasing their area from 1,100 to 2,050 square feet. Gia Mia will add 20 seats, bringing the total outdoor dining section to 60 seats and increasing its area from 950 to 1,200 square feet.
The new standards impose several regulations on landscaping, furniture, planters and other decor, mainly to prevent damage to the plaza. The most notable change would prohibit trimming or removing the existing vegetation. Restaurants found to have trimmed or removed any of the trees, shrubs or plants would be subject to a new $500 fine and could have their outdoor dining permit revoked.
The final change considered was to increase the outdoor dining fees that each business on the plaza pays the city. Last year, the city charged a $250 application fee plus $20 per seat in two 100-day permitting periods, after waiving the fees in 2023.
Economic Development Director Derek Conley said the city collected a total of about $17,000 in outdoor dining fees last year.
Based on the new layout and increased number of seats on the plaza, the existing $20 fee would generate roughly $15,840 by the end of the 2025 season.
City council members considered several increase options for this summer. Per seat fees of $25 would generate a total of $19,800 for the season, a $30 fee would generate $23,760 and $35 per seat fee would generate $27,720.
While council members decided not to increase the per-seat fees, they did create a new $2,000 deposit that will be collected from each restaurant in two $1,000 payments, one for each 100-day period, to cover potential damage to the plaza caused by a restaurant.
Deposits will be returned at the end of the outdoor dining season if no damage is incurred.