City Receives $10,000 Check from Lion's Club

The Encinitas City Council received a $10,000 check from the on Wednesday night. The local chapter donated the money for the installation of an audible pedestrian crossing signal, which alerts people when it is safe to cross. One of these devices was recently installed on F Street and South Coast Highway 101. Lion’s Club Chapter President Melaini Peet presented the donation to Mayor James Bond, who accepted it on behalf of the city.

The council also took time to recognize two honors for members of the Encinitas Sheriff’s Station. Traffic Deputy Dave Toner received two awards: the Officer Christopher D. Lydon Memorial Award and the award for outstanding traffic deputy of the year. Larry Reisner, a volunteer officer, was also awarded the County of San Diego Sheriff’s Senior Volunteer of the Year.

After the proclamations, the council heard a report regarding and its effect on public right-of-way. Currently, outdoor dining uses roughly 1,000 square feet of space between D and E streets along the Coast Highway. Some of the staff suggestions for future policy included:

• Prohibit curbside dining areas along Coast Highway 101.
• Generally limit dining areas to the width of a storefront, extending a maximum of 5 feet from storefront while maintaining a 5-foot wide pedestrian pathway.
• Encourage open storefronts.
• Provide an allowance for onsite outdoor dining without requiring parking.

Council members and Encinitas restaurant owners discussed their concerns for any potential new restrictions. Jim Ciancimino, owner of Potato Shack Café, said he believes restaurant owners need to enforce their permit boundaries. His restaurant is one of the few that has a permit for curbside dining, but he maintained he follows the regulations for that permit. “We put marks on the sidewalk and the tables are placed there,” he said. Ciancimino said he makes sure the tables stay in their allotted area to avoid encroaching on the public right-of-way.

His situation is unique, as the sidewalk outside Potato Shack is 16 feet wide. In the future, the staff report specified restaurants not located on Coast Highway could be allowed curbside dining on a case-by-case basis.

Councilwoman Teresa Barth suggested using an annual fee for outdoor dining, which would be used to keep city sidewalks clean. However, Deputy Mayor Jerome Stocks strongly opposed any fees, saying it would cause “classic government creep.” Stocks also said he wants restaurant owners to take responsibility for their sidewalks while staying within the permit regulations.

All the council members opposed any restaurants using fixed tables, and also agreed different parts of the city, such as Leucadia, would benefit by having a policy catered to its needs.

After the deliberation, city planners said they would take the comments into consideration. They will come back at a later date seeking approval for an updated policy.