Downtown Sidewalks Decision on Hold

The Hermosa Beach City Council decided to examine the request again in a future meeting after business owners pleaded for the go-ahead to put chairs, clothing racks and other small items in front of their stores.

The request came in response to the city’s  campaign, which forced business owners over the summer to take down any items that were on public sidewalks if they had not paid the city liability insurance and hold the proper permits.

This recent focus on public right-of-way encroachments also caused some local restaurant owners to no longer offer outdoor dining.

But the council in a meeting Tuesday discussed a temporary ordinance that would allow outdoor dining in commercial areas, excluding upper Pier Avenue.

Council members voted unanimously to push back a decision on the ordinance until their next meeting, while also taking into account the complaints of retailers who relied on outdoor displays to attract customers.

Mayor Howard Fishman told Patch before the council meeting that the city initiated Clean Sweep because it received complaints from residents in wheelchairs who had issues traversing crowded sidewalks downtown, and the city feared being sued by pedestrians who might trip on the outdoor chairs and displays.

Then during the council meeting, Councilman Kit Bobko told retail business owners that the sidewalk squabble "has nothing to do with you," but rather some residents are more concerned about outdoor dining, and drinking.

"This is about alcohol," Bobko said. "We’re losing out on business because of a loud, vocal minority that doesn’t want to see alcohol on Pier Avenue… It has to do with tables and chairs on upper Pier Avenue."

Councilman Jeff Duclos said at the council meeting that the biggest issue with the proposed temporary ordinance is that it lacked any mention of merchants or retailers.

"We’re enacting a policy here that has a lot of gaps in it," he said, encouraging the council to spend more time on the issue—which it will.

How do you feel about outdoor displays and dining in Hermosa Beach?