WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE. June 25, 2008: The Common Council explored this evening a major increase in the charge the city makes for sidewalk cafe footage. The fee per square foot of cafe footage has not been increased since 1987 and currently sits on $3 a square foot. Currently 30 restaurants in the city (25 in downtown), pay a total of $26,531 annually in square footage rental for their sidewalk cafes. Each cafe, the Commissioner of Public Works noted is about 300 square feet of sidewalk surface.

Music in the Cafes at Night Magic in the Air to cost restaurants more? White Plains Week anchors, Jim Benerofe and John Bailey  working on their weekly news show at the Starbucks Cafe on Renaissance Square. White Plains has 30 sidewalk cafes the Common Council feels should be paying more for City Sidewalks.

Councilperson Rita Malmud was very much for a substantial increase in this fee. Paul Wood, City Executive Officer said he would undertake a survey to see what other municipalities typically charged for square footage. It was also mentioned by Councilperson Tom Roach the city should look into charging for rooftop dining, noting the emergence of a recent rooftop restaurant in the city.