The City Council received and filed a report on outdoor dining this week. The city will extend temporary beach dining for restaurants for another 45 days.
This was originally a Consent Calendar item, but the council discussed it separately before approving it.
After Gov. Gavin Newsom temporarily prohibited outdoor dining, Avalon allowed local restaurants to serve food outdoors to tables on the local beaches starting July 1. Businesses don’t have to pay a fee at this time.
“Initially, the restriction on indoor dining was projected to last three weeks (until July 23); however, as COVID-19 cases continue to increase across the state, there is no indication that this restriction will lift in the near future,” wrote City Manager Denise Radde in her report to the council.
“To date, eight restaurants have utilized the City’s outdoor dining program — Catalina Cantina, Coyote Joe’s, El Galleon, Luau Larry’s, Maggie’s Blue Rose, Mi Casitas, Steve’s Steakhouse, and NDMK Seafood,” Radde wrote.
According to her reported, feedback from visitors and the community has been positive.
“Restaurant owners are working well with the City and quickly correcting action if they are found to be encroaching too much into public right of ways or using the City owned trash cans for disposal of dining waste,” Radde wrote.
“City Staff have begun evaluating lighting in the areas and are working to develop solutions as the evenings begin to get darker sooner,” Radde wrote.
