La Crosse board approves revisions to curbside, sidewalk dining

The city of La Crosse is planning to allow outdoor dining again this year at downtown businesses.

The La Crosse Board of Public Works at its weekly Monday morning meeting approved revisions to the dining ordinance, which have been in effect the last two years, to help bars and restaurants stay in business during the pandemic.

Tim Acklin, the city’s planning administrator, said the program has worked out well.

Acklin said people are “already clamoring to have this done and wondering when they can move forward with it,” hoping that we have good weather coming up.

Rules for allowing sidewalk and curbside dining could go before the full city council next week Thursday.

Restaurant owners reportedly have been asking City Hall when they could begin outdoor dining again for spring.

During the last two years, La Crosse’s outdoor dining rules, prompted by indoor limitations and social distancing at the outset of the pandemic, were approved for a specific period of time, lasting until November.

That’s expected to be the case again this year.