Parklet permits for outdoor dining in Pismo Beach have been extended until Sept. 30, 2022, but the city council is still exploring the possibility of a permanent version of the program.
“Actually, I love it. The one good thing that came out of this coronavirus thing is stuff like this the outdoor seating. It almost has a European feel to it,” said Rick Milanesa, who frequently dines in Pismo Beach.
“It’s just the atmosphere, it is nice to be in the breeze and sunshine compared to being inside,” said Dora Salazar, who was visiting Pismo Beach.
For Cool Cat Café in downtown Pismo Beach, outdoor dining was a business-saving investment.
“It did allow us to bring in more staff to work, so we were able to give some people their jobs back, give them more hours and then just keep creating revenue,” explained Julie Corpuel, Cool Cat Café server.
At Moreno’s Taqueria, having an outdoor table gave them a 15% increase in sales.
Nicanor Moreno said that their tent gives them more visibility, drawing new customers to their restaurant.
Masterpiece Hair Studio does not have a parklet, but the owner said she has noticed an influx of customers coming in for the first time regardless of parking issues.
“Now they are parking a few blocks away and maybe enjoying Pismo Beach a little more, walking by more businesses on their way to the beach,” added Jessica Zerolis, Masterpiece Hair Studio owner.
There has been much debate around making parklets permanent.
For example, the City of Paso Robles removed parklets from its downtown area last week.
While Solvang opted to keep Copenhagen Drive closed at least for another month.
On Tuesday, the Pismo Beach City Council discussed the possibility of a permanent outdoor dining system, but several concerns were raised.
“There are some issues we raised with the electrical and heating and design issues,” said Mayor Ed Waage.
Under the proposal, around 30 parking spots would be available in a lottery system and would cost $580 with additional fees depending on design.
“Looking at the prices of how much it will cost to restaurants under this program, [it] would be rather costly it looks like,” added Councilmember Scott Newton.
In a four-to-one vote, the city council approved keeping the current parklet program until Sept. 30, 2022, with plans to revisit a permanent program.
“We hope to keep it someday permanent but at least having it through September will definitely make us really happy,” Corpuel added.
Another option on the table that the council is exploring is closing Pomeroy Avenue, but for that, the city is requesting a study to explore the impact on traffic, parking, and outdoor dining.
