Walnut Creek Wrestles With New Regulations for COVID Parklets

WALNUT CREEK (KPIX) -- When cities began approving parklets as a way to save restaurants during the pandemic, Walnut Creek went all in on the idea. Since then, outdoor dining spaces have been a big success and the city says they can stay downtown but they were approved under an emergency situation and now the city is determining what rules and fees to impose to make them permanent.

The Main Street Kitchen and Bar has become one of the busiest restaurants in town, with more diners outside than in. Restaurant manager Michael Dugger said the place probably wouldn't have survived without the extra outdoor space of their parklet.

"A lot of places in Walnut Creek -- not just Walnut Creek but in general -- would have gone down if it wasn't for parklets like this keeping us alive," he said.

Down the street at Havana restaurant, sisters Cathrina and Cristina Dador from Pittsburg were enjoying their first al fresco brunch and were surprised how different the outdoor experience was.

"I just walked in to use their bathroom and it's a different vibe altogether. I was just telling her 'good thing we stayed outside, it's such a better vibe,'" said Cristina, with a laugh.

George Tomoiaga brought his family from Castro Valley to enjoy an open-air breakfast.

"I love outdoors. I'm from Romania and, in Europe, every big city, all the cities, have outdoor seating -- every restaurant, every cafe, everywhere is outside," he said. "Let it be the way it is now. I think it's perfect."

Perfect or not, the parklets are about to change or at least the rules governing them are. Restaurant owners will soon have to choose from a set of city-approved construction styles. Parklets will be restricted to just the area directly in front of the business and overhead coverings will be limited to one per property.

Then there are the fees.

"They were provided on a free basis, given the emergency nature of COVID but, going forward, this permanent outdoor dining will come at a cost for restaurants," said Mayor Matt Francois.

He said each parking meter generates $7,000 per year on average and they would like to recoup that revenue. The city is still considering what is a fair price for allowing private businesses to operate on public property.

"The pandemic, for all its downside, caused us to rethink how we were doing things before the pandemic and outdoor dining is one of those things," Francois said. "It is something that we probably wouldn't have ever entertained but for the pandemic."

About 35 restaurant parklets are operating in downtown but the city doesn't expect them all to continue under the new rules. The mayor said it will be a natural thinning process as businesses decide whether the parklets are worth the increased expense. The pandemic served up a lot of changes and restaurants survived by adapting to them.

Back at Main Street Kitchen, manager Michael Dugger is maintaining a pragmatic attitude about the whole thing.

"It would be unfortunate if there were more rules and regulations put on top of it," he said, "but you gotta do what you gotta do to keep the doors open and keep people happy, you know?"