1 | Page
Manhattan Beach Outdoor Dining Program Development
Community Workshop No. 2 | January 27, 2025
Summary Memorandum
Prepared February 3, 2025
INTRODUCTION
In June 2023, the City of Manhattan Beach and MIG
began to work on a long-term outdoor dining program
development that stemmed from temporary outdoor
dining operations that took place in response to COVID-
19. On January 27, 2025, the second outdoor dining
community workshop was held at the Joslyn Community
Center to provide a status update on the program
development and receive input from attendees.
Approximately 30 community members participated in the
workshop and provided input on a variety of topics.
The format of the workshop included a brief presentation and an open house with exhibits that replicated the same content as the presentation materials. The presentation consisted of the project background, the preferred program vision, task force recommendations, parking strategies, and next steps. At the end of the presentation, participants were provided with an overview of the open house portion of the workshop and the different exhibit stations. These stations included: Project Background, Preferred Program Vision, Task Force Recommendations, Parking Strategies, Bundled Parking Strategies, and Bike Parking. During the open house portion of the workshop, attendees were able to freely visit the different stations to provide input or interact with MIG and City staff with questions or comments.
INTERACTIVE SURVEY
Throughout the presentation attendees were able to participate in an interactive survey from their personal devices using a QR code. The questions and responses to the survey are summarized below.
1. What has been your involvement so far with the outdoor dining program development? (Check all that apply)
10 5
5 7
11 15
14 Attended Outdoor Dining Task Force Meetings
Attended the first workshop (October 2023)
Hometown Fair booth (October 2023)
Participated in stakeholder interviews
City Council meetings related to Outdoor Dining
Signed up for the interested party list
This is my first involvement
2 | Page
The level of involvement with the outdoor dining program development varied. While nearly half the respondents shared they signed up for the interested party list, this workshop was their first involvement for 14 participants.
2. Which category do you fall under? (Check all that apply) A majority of the participants were living in Downtown, within Manhattan Beach (in areas outside of Downtown and North Manhattan Beach), working in Manhattan Beach and/or owned a business in Downtown.
3. Do you support the idea of wider sidewalks that minimize the loss of on-street parking in Downtown and North Manhattan Beach?
Most participants supported the idea with additional comments as below:
• Remove parking meters.
• This is a much better plan than decks. Manhattan Beach needs outdoor dining. We are a beach community.
• Provide loading spaces for drop-off and pick up.
• There is a loss in street width which is then more dangerous to pedestrians. • Many of the parking enhancements that were adopted in response to losing lot 3 are already assisting with additional parking needs.
• Wider sidewalks will also help quality of life and sense of community in addition to sidewalk dining.
• The overall plan will be an improvement to downtown Manhattan Beach. I have lived here for over 50 years and it will be a huge progress for us. • There is no space for this, there is already way too limited parking for the area. • I can walk to downtown, not sure how others would feel if they need parking. • There is inadequate parking, particularly with the loss of lot 3. Minimizing parking loss while adding a bunch of traffic is not satisfactory.
3 6
20 Other
No
Yes
10 7
0 0
10 1
9 0
4 I live in Downtown (DT)
I own a business in DT
I live in North Manhattan Beach (NMB)
I own a business in NMB
I live in Manhattan Beach (outside of DT and NMB)
I own a business in Manhattan Beach (outside of DT…
I work in Manhattan Beach
Manhattan Beach Visitor
Other
3 | Page
• Based on the loss of seven spots downtown and two in North Manhattan Beach per the presentation, then yes.
• Benefits of outdoor dining outweigh the downside of reduced parking, particularly given the number of eliminated parking spaces seems immaterial. • I am undecided. How can we widen the sidewalks and have less parking? Does not make any sense. Adding more diners but not adding parking. • To add more people but lose parking is a concern. Narrowing the streets is also a concern.
• The question is too vague. I thought we still lose nine spots with this so how does this help reduce the loss of parking. With the loss of a parking lot, we cannot afford to lose more.
• Only if streets are not narrowed, which poses more danger to pedestrians. • Not at this time. If we minimize/lose parking where will people park? • Probably with reservations regarding parking.
• What will happen to parking?
• I think it is nice to sit outside, but it was crowded, dirty, and made it so we did not want to visit Downtown. If we do widen, the benefiting restaurants should foot much of the bill. • I think parallel parking is a bad idea. Young drivers are not taught how. They also block all street traffic while cars try to maneuver into parking spots. • There is already an issue with parking. It also negatively impacts businesses that are not restaurants…no place for people to park to shop or go to dry cleaners, hair salon, etc. • When the new space is simply taken back for outdoor dining, sidewalk widening is a false promise. And what space is being lost? Traffic lane space? • In general, yes, but not on Highland Ave. between Manhattan Beach Blvd. and 15 th St.
for the purpose of sidewalk dining. This will reduce travel lane width in an already congested section of town.
4. Do you support public flex spaces that cater to the general public (such as landscaping, bike racks, seating, etc.)?
While there was general support for landscaping and public amenities like bike racks and seating, individuals shared the additional comments as follows:
• Especially bike racks and seating.
• As long as they do not take away from parking, loading, or dining areas for restaurants. • In theory, but it all depends on the cost and what we would be sacrificing by building them. Parking matters more for example.
• Much better than leaving it bare.
• Include bike and cell charging stations and Wi-Fi.
• It would create a friendly and welcoming Downtown much more so than what we have now. Of course depending on funding. Outdoor dining would be a priority. 2 7
20 Other
No
Yes
4 | Page
• Only if the crowds from the increased restaurant seating do not bleed into this space like they did when we had outdoor dining before.
• This is a risky one, needs to be done very carefully. • Not so much as they take up space for walking pedestrians, animals, and strollers. • Flex spaces have the potential to become unruly and lead to more trash, graffiti, etc. • Use an aesthetic that matches that of a coastal beach city and does not look cookie cutter.
• No, poorly worded question because it does not address the removal of parking spaces. • Tables and chairs are priority.
• Bike racks seem to be the most practical, although perhaps not the most aesthetically pleasing.
• I support public flex spaces that cater to the general public. I am concerned about who will monitor these spaces and keep them clean and safe for all. • Bike racks, yes. Flex space seating, no.
• Especially benches for people to sit and enjoy the area. I would also like to see bike valet areas where people can lock their bikes in a supervised area. • Landscaping that adds to the ambiance without inhibiting traffic flow. • Concerns about too many flex spaces too close together, creating congestion. Also, noise is a concern if music is permitted in these areas. • If you grab a cup of coffee, there should be a place for residents and visitors to enjoy the outdoors while they drink their coffee. We need more bike racks, benches/tables and chairs.
• As long as it does not decrease parking. With more people coming Downtown we need to greatly increase parking rather than remaining the same. • To some extent. I would eliminate flex spaces (except maybe landscaping) before I would eliminate wider sidewalks and outdoor dining. The latter two should be the priority if cost is an issue.
• This just creates more spaces for homeless to camp out. Creates more issues and safety issues for Downtown.
• From a practical standpoint, the way flex spaces have been outlined seems short- sighted in terms of proper maintenance, opening the door for increased loitering that is not productive to Downtown.
• Especially for benches. I would also like bike corrals. • No. Particularly seating areas on walk streets.
• Not in locations that are in “reasonable” proximity to residential homes. • As long as it can be done while increasing the parking. With more people going Downtown we need to increase parking.
• Creates more space for homeless to camp out. Creates potential safety issues and spaces for undesirable situations and people to hang out. • This seems short-sighted in terms of opening challenges around economics to maintain, and people hanging out in non-productive ways to name a few. • Creates liability issue for the City.
• Not if we give up walk space and parking spaces. We cannot simply make new space. • Giving away public land for commercial development is a land grab. Outdoor dining needs to be developed on the restaurant’s property.
5. Do you support the proposed outdoor dining regulations that aim to improve the quality of life in Manhattan Beach? (Check all that apply) 5 | Page
Reponses are listed below in order of most to least supported. • Trash
• Streamlined permit process, including alcohol services • Occupancy increase
• Permit duration and enforcement
• Hours allowed
• Tiered sidewalk use fee
• Design elements, such as shade, heater, signage, etc. • Vehicle loading
• Locations allowed
• Entertainment and amplified music
• Deviations
COMMENT SHEETS
Participants at the workshop were given the opportunity to fill out a comment sheet that they received as part of the agenda handout. The comment sheet allowed participants to expand on the questions asked during the presentation and provide additional input or ask questions.
Below is a summary of the responses received at the end of the workshop:
Preferred Program Vision
• What about loss of buffer between cars and pedestrians as sidewalk dining pushes pedestrians to the edge of the sidewalks?
• Wide sidewalks are fine but not for restaurant use. This is public space and should not be used for private business to profit from.
• Avoid parallel parking. Many drivers do not know how and it blocks all traffic while drivers try to maneuver in and out of spots.
• Is there a “new dining seat to lost parking spot” ratio? • It seems too few new outdoor dining spots created for all the lost parking and costs involved.
• Conceptual images exaggerate the size of the sidewalk. • How is it sidewalk widening when the space will be used for outdoor dining? • The purpose is to increase sidewalk space while maintaining parking spaces, so what is getting taken away? The street is already narrow. Extending restaurants on the public right-of-way is not something I agree with.
17 16
14 16
16 18
12 16
15 11
16 Streamlined permit process (incl. alcohol…
Occupancy increase
Locations allowed
Permit duration and enforcement
Hours allowed
Trash
Entertainment and amplified music
Tiered sidewalk use fee
Vehicle loading
Deviations
Design elements (shade, heater, signage, etc)
6 | Page
Task Force Recommendations
• Desired behavioral outcomes cannot be pushed onto people. • Parking demand solutions proposed will result in gridlock similar to last time we had outdoor dining.
• We need to significantly increase parking before executing plans to bring more people Downtown. I would go Downtown more now but it’s too crowded. • Too many proposed regulations presented, this did not allow enough time to address each properly.
Parking Strategies
• Consider bike parking at Bruce’s Beach Park.
• People do not ride bikes and go to restaurants at night. This is going to result in underutilized space after dark. Bike parking should be deemphasized. I suggest greenbelt for bike parking and library area.
• Increased occupancy impacts parking, people are not going to switch to bikes. • Do not increase occupancy by expanding into the public right-of-way and most issues will disappear. By doing nothing, parking situation will not be made worse. • I have not seen anything to substantiate the concept that adding more bicycle space will greatly reduce vehicle traffic.
Additional Input
• This project is being pushed forward without any real plan to pay the $13M. We need a fiscal plan in place before this plan moves forward.
• Not enough time was allocated to complete the online real time QR code survey. • Some restaurants addressed outdoor dining demands by opening the front of their restaurants. Some restaurants have declined to expand their restaurants.
EXHIBIT FEEDBACK
Preferred Program Vision
Participants were asked to share ideas or questions on widening sidewalks, on-street parking reconfiguration, public flex space improvements, and sidewalk dining typologies. For each exhibit that received feedback, comments are organized below.
Widening Sidewalks
• The widening of sidewalk. Then stop, then starts on Manhattan Beach Blvd. doesn’t make sense?
• You can’t just widen one side of the street! Hurts businesses on the opposite side. (referring to proposed widening along Manhattan Beach Blvd. between Manhattan Ave. and Morningside Dr.)
On-street Parking Reconfiguration
• To aid widening sidewalks, can we eliminate the meter poles and go to app-based parking (such as ParkMobile or Pay by phone)?
• I would oppose the parallel parking; young drivers are not taught how. All traffic is blocked while drivers try to maneuver into spots.
7 | Page
Sidewalk Dining Typologies
• I do not like when public money is used by private businesses for dining. Public expenses for private profits. It feels like a grab of public funds. • The perspective drawings show an apparent huge difference in what is (as shown) a 2” difference.
• Do not put plan out without plan to pay $13M, it’s irresponsible. • NYC just eliminated outdoor dining, why are we pursuing?
Task Force Recommendations
Participants were prompted to provide their ideas and questions about the proposed regulations. Comments received are as follows:
• Include shared trash enclosures in overall Downtown and North Manhattan Beach beautification plans.
• I want outdoor dining to be aesthetically pleasing but want the endeavor to yield lots of tables.
• Referring to entertainment:
o What are special events for music?
o Will Hennessys and Shade still be allowed “Friday” “Saturday” music? o What about “events” in Metlox?
Bundled Parking Strategies
A comment was received related to the proposed strategy for Valet. The comment shared that it would be more expensive than shown on the table and questioned where would they put the cars.
Bike Parking
Workshop attendees were encouraged to share their ideas or questions on five potential bike parking locations identified, as well as provide additional locations where they would like to see bike parking.
• New location suggested on Veterans Pkwy at 15th St (walk to stores) • Location 1: Off-street at US Bank (along Morningside Dr) o I don’t see how there is space there for bike racks, it is too narrow. • Location 4: Off-street at Metlox (along Morningside Dr) o Do not see space here. How about back by the corner from City Hall? That’s dead space now.
8 | Page
9 | Page
10 | Page
11 | Page
12 | Page
13 | Page