Today, DC Councilmember Charles Allen (Ward 6) introduced emergency legislation to make immediate changes to the cost and design restrictions for DDOT’s streateries rules, with the goal of ensuring streateries remain a viable tool for restaurants and an opportunity to enliven street life. The Council will vote on the legislation on Tuesday, Dec. 2. The emergency bill makes two changes DDOT’s rules.

First, to address concerns noted by many DC-based restaurants, Allen’s legislation lowers the price per square foot to $15, placing it slightly higher than the cost charged for an enclosed sidewalk, but lower than DDOT’s proposed $20 per square foot, which many restaurants said was unworkable.

Second, many restaurants are concerned about their ability to comply with the restrictions on streatery design and placement. This legislation grants the Public Space Committee, who approves all streatery applications, greater discretion to grant exemptions to businesses related to placement and enclosures to ensure that dining can comfortably take place year-round in as many locations as possible.

“A good streatery helps a neighborhood restaurant succeed while creating a vibrant block,” said Councilmember Allen, Chair of the Council’s Committee on Transportation and the Environment. “We need rules, and businesses want clear guidance on streateries. But we heard loud and clear last month at the Committee’s roundtable on the program that DDOT’s proposed rules missed the mark on the cost and limited designs that would effectively guarantee a streatery can’t be viable for many months of the year. The point here isn’t to squeeze as much money out of businesses as possible, but to find the right policy so restaurants can affordably invest in quality streateries, safely integrated into the neighborhoods around them.”

These changes follow a November 6 Committee roundtable, when multiple restaurants and the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington testified in favor of changes that could ensure the program worked for a wide range of restaurants.

“We thank Councilmember Charles Allen for introducing the Streatery Program Emergency Amendment Act of 2025," said Shawn Townsend, President and CEO of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW). “The introduction of this legislation reflects an understanding that the District must establish a streatery program that is workable, predictable, and supportive of the local businesses that rely on it. RAMW looks forward to working with the full Council, the Administration, DDOT, and neighborhood stakeholders to strengthen and refine the program. There is significant opportunity for additional improvements that will better support restaurants in all eight wards and ensure streateries remain a vibrant and accessible part of the District’s dining landscape."

Emergency legislation requires nine votes to pass and remains in effect for 90 days.

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