Watch out for the new city permit fee for outdoor seating | Amarillo Small Business

Piper Hunt · 2026-03-17T21:50:05.198325+00:00

I opened my cafe on Polk Street last month and got hit with a $750 surprise fee for my sidewalk tables. The city clerk said it's a new rule that started in January, and they're checking places now. Has anyone else had to deal with this and know a way around it?

nelson.daniel7mo ago

Talked them down to $400 like @aaron150 said, just show your old lease.

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alex_hall916mo ago

Wait, didn't that old lease trick only work for places that moved? If you just opened last month, how would you even have an old lease to show them? I heard they stopped giving that break to brand new businesses because the rule is already in effect. You might want to double check before you count on that working.

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aaron1507mo ago

That's a brutal surprise, welcome to the club unfortunately.

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