Parklet extension in Carmel-by-the-Sea will help restaurants stay alive but it comes at a cost

CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, Calif. (KION) Parklets popped up and stayed up along the streets of Carmel-by-the-Sea, as a temporary solution to pandemic dining. After Tuesday’s city council meeting, restaurants will get to keep them for a little longer.

“It’s not a luxury, it's a necessity,” Bashar Alsneeh, Owner Dametra Cafe, Catch Restaurant, & Portabella Restaurant.

The unanimous vote to extend the date on restaurant parklets was largely in part of Monterey County’s new indoor mask mandate that goes into effect Friday. 

“Wearing masks inside is an indication that we are still in a place that we need to be cautious and careful. People request to dine outside, they want to feel comfortable, so it's a big deal for us to keep it for a while,” said Alsneeh.   

The City Council plans to remove the topic off of December’s meeting before continuing the conversation in January to either permanently keep or slowly phase out the structures. Any restaurant looking to keep their parklet during this new extended period will have to continue to fork over a little extra. Each parking spot costs $842 per space. For Bashar Alsneeh, owning three different restaurants in Carmel-by-the-Sea means he pays for six different spots.

And that’s on top of everything else it takes to have the parklet, from propane gas to run heaters, extra staffing to make up for the additional tables, to the initial costs it took to build, and maintain the upkeeps of parklets.  

“At the end of the month, it costs us about $10,000 to have the parklet. It’s just interesting to me with a mandate coming back, they’re still wanting to charge, it just doesn’t seem like it's supporting businesses at this time,” Ashley Wolff, General Manager Pangaea Grill.

At the time of the October 5th City Council meeting, there were 26 restaurant parklets remaining in the Village.  All 26 of the remaining parklet operators paid their rental fee to the City on time.  One parklet operator reduced from two-spaces to one-space, according to the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea City Council Staff Report.   

January’s fees could be prorated while they wait for the city to make their next move. But following past meetings regarding the parklets, there have been many pros and cons shared between those who live there, retail shop owners, and restaurant owners.   

During this week’s City Council meeting there were still concerns about continued parking problems and lack of sidewalk space, especially heading into the holiday season. 

"I’m from Carmel. I have lived here for 30 years. Parking has always been an issue pre-covid, it hasn’t changed,” said Wolff.

People also addressed their concerns about the changing weather, as we start to see more rainy, windy conditions.  Others spoke about the safety of the structures and the look of certain parklets. Others felt they were interrupting diners. 

To clarify, even with Monterey County’s mask mandate in place, you can remove your mask while eating and drinking. A long-term plan for parklets in Carmel-by-the-Sea will be revisited in January.