The sun is setting on parklets in Pacific Grove by Oct. 31.

The pandemic parklets that saved a number of Pacific Grove restaurants from closure as well as kept sales taxes flowing into city coffers, will come to an end by Oct. 31, the P.G. City Council voted on Wednesday, April 2.

City Manager Matt Mogensen was asking the council for direction on the parklet program as a deadline loomed for restaurants to renew parklet permits on June 30 for another year.

Since the city was moving toward sidewalk dining, Mogensen asked if they should sunset parklets. He suggested they give restaurant owners an incentive to remove their parklets early by waiving sidewalk dining fees costing $905 for the first year.

With the tourist season coming up, the council decided to extend sunsetting the program until Oct. 31. In the meantime, owners could choose to end by June 30, with fees waived and the city bearing the cost of removing their parklets.

The council voted 5-1-1, with Councilmember Chaps Poduri against and Councilmember Joe Amelio absent.

The decision impacts Vivolvo's Chowder House and Il Vecchio on Central Avenue and four restaurants on Lighthouse Avenue: P.G. Meeting House, Nuri Sushi, Red House Cafe and International Cuisine.

Pepper's was left out of the motion because of its unique situation. The restaurant, located on a side street with a somewhat steep slope, has its parklet located on the adjacent city-owned parking lot.

The council voted 5-1-1 on a second motion to have Mogensen speak to the owners of Pepper's and come back to council with alternative solutions.

Only three people addressed the council on the item, two who wanted parklets to continue and one who wanted them removed. No restaurant owners spoke.

Mogensen reminded the council that it will take multiple years to transition to extended sidewalk dining, like what was done late last year at the corner of Lighthouse and Fountain avenues, with fenced in seating areas.

He said next year's Capital Improvement budget includes hiring a consultant to plan the engineering of Lighthouse Avenue, including bulbouts at corners. Construction of such bulbouts would take place the next fiscal year, if the city has the funds. 

"I think this is going to be a much larger, longer term project to expand projects up and down Lighthouse. So this isn't, we're going to remove your parklet and expand your sidewalk anytime soon," he said.