ST. PETERSBURG —
One downtown resident said he can’t fall asleep until after 3 a.m. on weekends because of the music blaring from the outdoor bar below his condo. Others complained that sidewalk cafes take up too much of the sidewalk during special events.
But none of the small group of residents and business owners at a city meeting Wednesday night wants to see St. Petersburg’s vibrant sidewalk restaurant scene choked out by overregulation.
“I’m very positive about the sidewalk cafes,” said resident Hal Freedman. “We don’t want to tighten up so much that we lose this wonderful ambiance we have downtown.”