Oʻahu eateries are now on solid legal ground if they want to set up tables outside on city sidewalks, thanks to a measure signed by Mayor Rick Blangiardi on Friday.

The bill, introduced in January by council member Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, follows years of temporary measures allowing the practice in Honolulu. Sidewalk dining was allowed during the Covid-19 pandemic to help restaurants attract customers despite restrictions on how many people could gather indoors, eventually morphing into a pilot project in 2022 that was set to expire this July.

Sixteen locations — including restaurants like Fete in Chinatown, The Surfing Pig in Kaimukī and Shorefyre in Waikīkī — took advantage of the program during its pilot stage.

A final report published last fall says participating restaurants saw increased revenue and reduced trash in their respective areas, but it warned that some businesses may be ineligible for the program if the sidewalks in front of them are too narrow from an accessibility standpoint.

“Our outdoor dining program has been a no-brainer for us,” Blangiardi said in a statement, “because it offers residents and visitors a unique and enjoyable way to experience our island’s beautiful year-round weather.”

Interested businesses must apply to the city for annual permits.