Temporary Outdoor Patio, Fitness Area and Retail Space

Review the Town of Okotoks Temporary Outdoor Patio & Retail Space Guidelines to ensure that your design will comply with all of the requirements. If you are a commercial tenant, it is your responsibility to ensure that the landowner consents to your proposal. If there are other businesses adjacent to you or on the same property that could be affected by your proposal, make sure they are aware of it.

Using an aerial print out or copy of a plan you already have, you can draw the proposed boundaries of the patio or retail space on the plan (doesn’t have to be fancy – a square with a marker showing the area on an aerial photo is sufficient).

Keep in mind all of the guidelines, but most importantly:

• Maintain pedestrian and vehicular flow
• Ensure that you are not occupying any barrier-free parking spaces designated for persons with disabilities
• Avoid landscaped areas
• Ensure impacts are mitigated to adjacent businesses and plans are maintained in front of your business only

Example of potential temporary outdoor patio or retail space within private property parking spaces. This is for illustrative purposes only. You will be required to submit an identical site plan

Review the Schedule A - Terms and Conditions  to ensure your proposal complies with the Guidelines once again and submit it. In addition to reviewing the terms & conditions, you will be required to submit the site plan you prepared in Step 2.

If you are proposing to use any public property, including sidewalks, public parking areas, park areas, or Town-owned parcels of land, you must also obtain insurance and provide a copy of your insurance certificate to the Town to keep on file.

The Town will review and provide a confirmation that the insurance information is sufficient back to you.  Once you have this confirmation, you can proceed with creating your patio space.

Apply

Start creating your space! Utilize planters and other fun elements to create a temporary space that attracts customers while respecting adjacent businesses and follows Town guidelines!

Once your patio space is completed, set up a fire inspection to determine the maximum occupant load for your patio. You must do this before you begin using the space.

Set up a fire inspection

If you want to add a liquor License

Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission requires that you apply for a separate liquor license for the outdoor patio and include the following information: 

• A copy of your site plan indicating how you are separating it from the public (i.e. planters, fencing etc)
• Occupant capacity card provided by Fire
• Proof of approval from the Town

Please refer to Alberta Health Services guidelines for direction on the permission of pets.