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Seattle requires permits for flowers, flags

BY Jillian Raftery  on February 13, 2013 @ 11:09 am (Updated: 4:02 pm - 2/13/13 )

two tartes cafe flower barrells seattle street use fee
The owners of a Georgetown cafe were shocked to get a $172 "street use" bill this month for the flowers they'd had outside their cafe for the last six years. (Photo courtesy of Two Tartes Cafe & Catering)
A small business owner was shocked when she got a notice from the City of Seattle this month saying that she needed a permit for flowers in front her cafe.

Sue Benyak decided to call the Dori Monson Show to highlight the issue.

Sue and her business partner have run the Two Tartes Cafe in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood for over five years. They wanted to make their store front more cheerful, so they planted flowers in whiskey barrel planters on the sidewalk in front of their cafe.

For five years they've had their festive flowers at their store on Airport way. But this month they got a notice that they had to apply for a $175 "Street Use" permit.

The notice says they have to pay the fee and a submit a "site use plan" to qualify for the permit.

Sue says she already pays a $140 to have a small flag hanging on the building with their cafe's name on it. She thinks that this extra charge, after six years, is excessive and an undue hardship.

Sue and Dori see the planters as a service to the neighborhood.

"Airport way isn't exactly the most attractive road in town," said Sue. "Tons of dust. We're pretty much the only people that have anything remotely attractive in front of our building."

She also says her landlord has seen the planters, and has never asked her to move them.

Dori tried to see the situation from the City's perspective.

"The sidewalk is city property," said Dori. "Why shouldn't they have the right to control what's on their property, and say hey, we'll let you use a little slice of our property and basically make you pay rent for it?"

But Georgetown, said Sue, is more industrial than areas downtown where big groups of pedestrians and cyclists mob the streets and sidewalks.

It was clear to Sue that the planters have never been an obstruction; it seemed like the city just wanted her to pay for the privilege of using the space.

"I just think that it's insane that we're just picking, picking, picking at small business owners," said Dori. "It's like government treats you guys like an adversary, instead of a provider of everything they're able to do as a government."

The Dori Monson Show's calls and emails to the Department of Transportation's Street Use Division and the representative who issued the ticket did not immediately get a response.

Read Sue's email to Dori and tell us what you think:

Hi Dori - Knowing that you are as annoyed with the City of Seattle and their ridiculous fees and charges as I am, I thought you would be interested in this one. I own a small business down in Georgetown, which, as you probably know, is not the cleanest neighborhood in town. My partner and I have had whiskey barrel planters outside our place for the last 6 years. Within the last month we received a "Street Warning Use" violation from the city, stating that if we want to have the planters out there, we need to obtain a $172 permit. Seriously? Pardon me for wanting our dusty street beautified a bit by flowers that WE pay for . . . .but really? They also charge us for a small flag attached to the side of the building with our business name on it. . . .another fee of $140 per year. This city does everything it can to nickel and dime small businesses into the ground. Thought you'd want to know. MEH!

If you have a Dang it, Dori! story for us to check out, you can send us a message.

Jillian Raftery, Social Media Captain
Jillian Raftery is a social media captain for the Dori Monson Show. She loves the neighborly vibe of the Pacific Northwest and spends as much time as possible outdoors.
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Comments (28)


  • Add A Comment

  • shark75 wrote...
    Hey Irony
    February 14, 2013 7:24 am
    You sound like you work for our beloved government. Sorry if we upset you oh righteous one.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • a foreigner wrote...
    MONEY
    February 14, 2013 7:38 am
    It just reminds me of cops and speeding tickets: revenue at any cost.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • po_guy wrote...
    what they REALLY need to do
    February 14, 2013 8:21 am
    is claim it as art, and let thtate pay THEM!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Largent803 wrote...
    Typical Govt Charges
    February 14, 2013 8:49 am
    Sounds to me like the Govt is just trying to find new ways to charge people. Something like a flower pot in an area of town that doesn't get much in the way of foot traffic and makes the whole area look good is pretty poor on the city part. In a way it kind of reminds me when I was living down in Wallingford area my neighbor would not mow the lawn except for what he owned which went up to the sidewalk. He said I don't own that strip across the sidewalk so why should I mow it. The city gave him a ticket saying it was becomming unsightly. He said are you going to transfer the ownership to me. of course the city said no. Otherwise your going to have to do the work on it yourself.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Recife wrote...
    Yes.........Yes
    February 14, 2013 10:51 am
    As we used to say in the military, "Embrace the suck." You voted for them (liberals), now you can suck it up.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CinnamonBuns wrote...
    Bunch of whiners
    February 14, 2013 12:57 pm
    Seriously, why does it bother you all SO MUCH that there are rules in place for how the public sidewalks are used? Do you really want a free-for-all where people can just do whatever they want? It is so easy to imagine you all screaming "there ought to be a law!!" if someone was doing something you didn't like. I thought it was interesting that the business owner in the story also whined about parking meters and "meter maids". I don't enjoy dealing with the hassle of parking meters either, but I understand why they exist and I don't complain that they are stupid/petty/ridiculous/etc. What a bunch of babies.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ted Bundi wrote...
    What would really change
    February 14, 2013 4:52 pm
    CinnamonBuns if they paid the 172 dollars? The picture would still look the same. Only the City would have 172 more to spend. Why is the bike parked on the sidewalk and not on the curb paying for a parking spot?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • shark75 wrote...
    CinnamonBuns wrote...
    February 14, 2013 1:02 pm
    We want laws for vagrants, drug addicts, bums and gang bangers. We don't want the goverment fining us to death. You want the opposite.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ted Bundi wrote...
    So, these business owners are
    February 14, 2013 5:33 pm
    vagrants, or addicts, or bums?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cash wrote...
    I think
    February 16, 2013 4:37 pm
    He was trying to say lets make laws and enforce them against vagrants, addicts, and bums as they appear to have free reign in the city to do whatever they want while the city only fines those who are working hard and actually have some money they can steal for placing flowers outside of their business to make it more attractive.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Bloodsurf69 wrote...
    Extra Charge
    February 20, 2013 1:33 pm
    Business owner need to charge all government employees and extra charge for the use of their business. 10% sounds good. Just to cover the "USE" of the business.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }