Greenville City Council voted unanimously on Nov. 13 to approve changes to the city’s outdoor-dining permit for the downtown area, a measure prompted by an application from 515 Cotant Street Entertainment LLC, d/b/a Agave. The ordinance renames the city program from the Uptown Outdoor Dining Permit to the Downtown Outdoor Dining Permit, lowers the minimum unobstructed pedestrian clearance on city-maintained sidewalks outside Dickinson Avenue from 5 feet 6 inches to 4 feet (48 inches), extends the permissible removal/secure time for furniture from 1:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., and expands the list of eligible downtown uses to include bars, microbreweries, microdistilleries and wine/beer stores.

The change was presented by chief planner Shontay Gubey, who said the revisions apply only inside the mapped downtown (green area) and that Dickinson Avenue remains subject to NCDOT standards. Gubey walked council through the permitting process, which requires applicants to submit a scaled sidewalk plan and obtain reviews from planning, police, fire/rescue and engineering before a permit is issued. “If you have to provide a plan, we will review it and work with you to meet standards,” Gubey said during the presentation.

Agave owners Sharif Atum and Travis Dixon told the council their business operates daily from late morning through late evening and that the downtown permit would allow a host station and improved customer flow. Several council members and public speakers praised the investment in downtown and the outdoor-dining concept.

Council debate focused on pedestrian safety and accessibility in narrow locations. Council member Robinson said he would support the ordinance but warned that narrower clearances combined with late-night activity can create safety and accessibility risks. “I’m all for outdoor dining, but somebody that has a disability needs more than two feet sometimes to get by; we have to be mindful,” Robinson said. Planning staff responded that the application-review process and required site drawings are intended to ensure egress and ADA clearance on a case-by-case basis.

After discussion, Council member Blackburn moved to approve the ordinance; Council member Willis seconded. The motion passed by voice vote, recorded as 6–0. The ordinance applies only within the city’s designated downtown area; areas on NCDOT-maintained corridors remain subject to DOT standards and are not changed by this ordinance.