Several groups will gather soon to try to answer all the questions about outdoor dining

Members of the boards of the Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Decorah Betterment Association and Downtown SSMID will be invited to meet soon with Decorah City Council members to try to answer all questions about outdoor dining in downtown Decorah.

Streets Committee Chair Gary Rustad says he favors the concept, but "I want to make sure we do this properly."

Committee members Tuesday night came up with several questions they felt needed to be answered, including minimum standards for Americans with Disabilities Act handicapped access on sidewalks; special rules during special events such as Nordic Fest; and the impact streetlights and other obstructions would have on outdoor dining.

Rustad said setting uniform rules is important, because if the city allows an expansion of outdoor dining, it would not be done on a case-by-case basis, but with a new set of rules pertaining to every downtown business.