City loosens restrictions on downtown sidewalk selling

In a bid to promote pedestrian activity on Queen Street and nearby commercial streets, the City of Sault Ste. Marie is easing restrictions on displays of merchandise on downtown sidewalks.

Retailers are now allowed to set up merchandise displays in front of their buildings without an encroachment agreement with the city.

"This will help foster more pedestrian activity and allow businesses to expand their sales area, potentially creating more opportunities for revenue," says Jonathan Kircal, city planner.

"Allowing outdoor merchandise displays along Queen Street and other commercial corridors in the downtown would allow businesses to recreate an ongoing 'market' experience similar to programmed events such as Moonlight Magic."

The following rules will apply:

• businesses may only use the space in front of their buildings to place merchandise
• the display must not obstruct pedestrian paths of travel
• vehicular sight lines must not be obstructed
• a business may only place merchandise sold by that business
• the merchandise display must be entirely removed at the end of the business day
• a 1.5-metre unobstructed pedestrian path of travel must be maintained on the sidewalk
• merchandise displays must not be placed on the sidewalk between Nov. 1 and April 30

City staff originally proposed that sidewalk displays be prohibited from Oct. 15 to May 15, but the dates were changed after Mayor Matthew Shoemaker commented that an Oct. 15 cut-off seemed too early.

Businesses have previously been allowed to place small street furnishings in front of their stores, including planters, decorations and small seating arrangements, without a license of occupation.

Downtown businesses will still be allowed to make full use of Queen Street during special event street closures.

"For example, downtown shops that do not have a storefront on Queen Street typically locate their merchandise displays in parking bays and other areas during these events," Kircal said in a report to city council.

"The proposed regulations will not impact these special events. A roadway is not considered a street when it is closed and therefore the streets bylaw is not applicable," he said.

The local accessibility advisory committee has expressed concern that the merchandise displays might affect visually impaired persons who rely on a cane to identify their surroundings.

Further discussions will be held with the Downtown Association and business owners to make sidewalks as accessible as possible.

The new, more relaxed rules will apply to all streets within the city-defined downtown, bound by:

• the former hospitals to the east
• Huron Street and the former St. Marys Paper property to the west
• Canadian Pacific Railway to the north
• St. Marys River to the south