Most of the sidewalk parklets in Long Beach will soon be gone, but businesses have an opportunity to make some of these parklets permanent.
The popular parklet program gave many businesses outdoor space to keep their locations open during the onset of the pandemic in order to maintain health guidelines.
At its height, there were 112 sidewalk parklets across the city.
The temporary program is set to end on June 30, but the city is allowing businesses to apply for permanent status by June 20.
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So far, 30 businesses have expressed interest.
Some residents consider sidewalk parklets an inconvenience for taking up parking spots.
But many employees say the parklets are badly needed.
"Hopefully the owner here applies for that permit because it's an immense help not only for us but for the employees here who depend on partly our tips," said Diego Aguilar, an employee at Aroma Di Roma.
The city will determine if applicants have a "feasible" location, based on speed limits in the area and other safety considerations.
If the business meets the criteria, they will have until Aug. 1 to officially apply for a permanent parklet — and will be allowed to keep their temporary parklet up in the meantime.
