Owners of Athens restaurants, delis and other downtown food-selling establishments who want to allow customers to eat outside on the sidewalk will have to follow the city’s new rules.

Amy Golden, customer relations manager and One Stop Shop coordinator, said Wildwood Deli has long been offering sidewalk dining. Before other businesses do the same, the city wanted to establish some sidewalk dining rules via an ordinance.

“This catches us up with what is actually happening in the community,” Golden said during Monday’s City Council premeeting work session. “We do not have an ordinance that allows outside alcohol sales. People can eat but not have alcohol. This allows others to do what Wildwood is doing.”

Mayor Ronnie Marks pointed out that businesses who implement sidewalk dining must leave a five-foot strip between the establishment and the end of the sidewalk in order to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

After introducing the measure and voting for a rules suspension for immediate consideration, the council approved the ordinance, 5-0.

Some of the rules include:

• Downtown means the area lying within the downtown district under the city’s zoning ordinance;

• Permit or sidewalk dining permit means a permit issued under the ordinance and obtained by the city clerk/treasurer. The permit allows owners to install tables, seating, railing, awnings, umbrellas, containers or similar items;

• Permit holder must make indoor bathrooms available to sidewalk dining customers;

• No outside live music or entertainment;

• City clerk, from time to time, may temporarily suspend permit to accommodate a special event permitted under city rules.