Fernie's High Horse seeks Urbana license for outdoor seating on city property at 124 S. Race St.

URBANA - Urbana's Committee of the Whole will consider a license agreement Monday that would let Fernie's High Horse LLC use part of the public space at 124 S. Race St. for outdoor seating, according to the committee's Oct. 19 agenda and packet. The item has not been decided.

Resolution 2026-10-057R covers 2,026 square feet next to the Fernie's High Horse establishment at 118 S. Race St., for movable outdoor furniture and food and drink. At the city's rate of 96 cents a square foot, the business would pay $1,944.96 a year, a staff memo says.

The business proposes adding outdoor furniture, lighting and stepping stones and removing part of an existing fence, the memo says. A sculpture and two public benches would remain open to the public.

The license would run through Oct. 31, 2031, with an option to renew for five years. It would end if the business stops operating at 118 S. Race St. for more than 30 days in a row.

If the resolution passes, the business would still need a sidewalk cafe license from the city's Finance Department and a building permit before making the changes, according to the memo.

Source: City of Urbana Oct. 19, 2026 Committee of the Whole agenda (https://mccmeetings.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/urbanail-pubu/MEET-Agenda-571c583ff79245a2831ccb9184d33227.pdf) and packet (https://mccmeetings.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/urbanail-pubu/MEET-Packet-571c583ff79245a2831ccb9184d33227.pdf), Item F1.