Planners approve Cafe Origins dining platform

By Grace Lovins

Following a postponement from an April meeting of the Birmingham Planning Board, Cafe Origins got the green-light from planning board members during the Wednesday, May 28, meeting to continue on to the city commission for approval of an outdoor dining platform.

Cafe Origins, located at 163 W Maple, is looking to establish an outdoor dining platform in the W. Maple right of way. The cafe is proposing to occupy part of the right of way while also extending into the existing sidewalk on Maple. Per the plans, there will be three tables on the platform itself and two chairs on the sidewalk.

City planning director Nick Dupuis stated in the meeting packet memorandum that no other outdoor dining platforms are on the same side of W. Maple as Cafe Origins, but Dick O’ Dows across the street currently has a platform. New restaurant Teuta, also on the side of W. Maple as Dick O’Dows, was also recently approved for an outdoor dining platform in the street, according to Dupuis’ memorandum.

Origins’ proposed plans show the platform in the street taking up two on-street parking spaces, however Dupuis stated in the memorandum that the cafe’s parking requirements were still being met.

The proposed plans show planter boxes on each side of the tables in the public sidewalk to add a bit of a barrier. The platform in the street will have a white metal rails to act as an enclosure for the tables in the platform.

Board member Daniel Share advised the representatives with the cafe to pay attention to the tables and chairs on the sidewalk saying he is concerned about the seating encroaching on the public given there is no enclosure for those seats.

With little discussion or additional comments from other planning board members, the board voted unanimously, 7-0, to recommend approval of the outdoor dining area to the city commission which will decide on final approval of the site plan and design.

Alternate planning board members Nasseem Ramin and Duncan Currie voted in place of Stuart Jeffares and Bert Koseck who were absent.