Las Fuentes, Chelsea’s popular Mexican restaurant in the Clocktower complex, was given unanimous approval for outdoor seating by the City Council Tuesday night.

The restaurant, which is located along M-52, must now get a sidewalk cafe permit from the Michigan Department of Transportation, but the first step was getting council approval.

Christine Linfield, city zoning director, said the state requires a resolution of support from the city for sidewalk cafes in the public right-of-way. In addition, the city must agree to enforce compliance with all American with Disabilities Act requirements among other conditions.

The city accepted responsibility for investigating any complaints and agreed to make sure that the cafe does not stray from the dining design diagram that was sent to the state.

The applicant must also comply with eight conditions for the permit, which include compliance with Michigan Liquor Control Commission requirements. Also, no additional signage, lighting or advertisements can be added outside.

The restaurant must also use a color scheme that is compatible with the existing building architecture.

“Years ago,” Linfield said, “MDOT did not allow outdoor cafes. I’m pleased that they are now allowing this.”

Las Fuentes will have to apply for a new permit from the state each year, and it's expected that the state will give approval for the request in the next few weeks, city officials said.

Lisa Allmendinger is a regional reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com. For more Chelsea stories, visit our Chelsea page.