KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
Officials with the City of Santa Clarita are looking to shut down a significant portion of Main Street in Old Town Newhall as early as Friday to allow restaurants to expand their patio seating onto the nearby sidewalk and street in order to stay compliant with the Los Angeles County Public Health Order.
In an effort to help restaurants in Old Town Newhall continue their operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, officials with the City of Santa Clarita are looking to shut down Main Street from 6th Street to Market Street in Newhall in order to allow restaurants to expand their outdoor seating onto the nearby sidewalk and street.
“We’ve been exploring ways to help our restaurants serve more customers through outdoor dining,” said Carrie Lujan, spokesperson for the City. “We are working with all of our partners to ensure this happens as quickly as we can.”
Mayor pro tem Bill Miranda noted that while some pieces still needed to fall into place, the closure could begin as soon as Friday “barring any unseen obstacles.”
“We have been supporting all Santa Clarita businesses and restaurants as much as we can,” he said. “This is a very turbulent time, and it’s tough for businesses to survive this, especially restaurants.”
Miranda expects an official announcement to be made by the City in the coming days.
See Related: Santa Clarita Introduces ‘Eat Local’ Program Featuring Local Restaurants With Expanding Services
Other cities across Southern California have taken similar actions, with Santa Barbara closing a large portion of their State Street and Ventura closing a significant portion of their Main Street.
“We certainly want to do whatever we can to help all of our local businesses keep their doors open in this difficult time,” said Santa Clarita Mayor Cameron Smyth.
Once it started, the closure would last for six weeks, after which officials would evaluate whether or not to keep that portion of Main Street shut down.
“We’ll have to see what happens,” Miranda said. “If it’s been effective, that’s a good sign for continuing.”
The closure would come after California Governor Gavin Newsom ordered all indoor operations for restaurants in 19 counties to cease for three weeks starting July 1, including Los Angeles County.
“We have specifically targeted our efforts to close indoor operations, and I want to reinforce this,” Newsom said during a conference Wednesday.
While the closure of Main Street is meant to help restaurants in Old Town Newhall, Miranda said that the City is looking to help other businesses across Santa Clarita “reach sustainability,” and encouraged them to reach out.
“Come let us know,” he said. “If we can do it, we will.”
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This is not the first action the City of Santa Clarita has taken to assist local restaurants amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Back in June, City officials announced the “Eat Local” Campaign in an effort to help restaurants expand their activities into their retail center’s private sidewalks and parking lots.
“This is another way the City is looking to help our local restaurants recover from the losses they have suffered during the shutdown,” Smyth said in a statement at the time. “The Eat Local Program is both an innovative and business-friendly solution to ease residents into feeling comfortable eating out again and helping restaurants welcome back more customers, while indoor dining is still at limited capacity.”
As part of the Eat Local Program, restaurant owners can submit a site plan to the City’s Planning team, who can then issue a Temporary Use Permit at no cost. This temporary measure is intended to remain in place while restaurants indoor occupancy is limited due to the COVID-19 crisis, according to City officials.
Restaurants participating in the Eat Local program must continue to follow the Los Angeles County health guidelines and are responsible for working with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, as necessary to receive any required permits.
For more information on the Eat Local program, restaurant owners are encouraged to contact Jason Crawford by email at jcrawford@santa-clarita.com.
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Great idea!
Considering that the diagonal parking along Main Street was the stupidest idea ever, this seems to be an ingenious idea that will probably work exceptionally well there! Only thing is, where to park now?! Gonna have to bring lots of K-Rails there to discourage crazy nuts from driving right through patrons though, and to section it all off, and make it look attractive! I’m getting excited thinking about all the alfresco dining! I wish we could do something similar all over SCV! Maybe bump sidewalks temporarily so people can eat outside everywhere, but I’m sure a lot of folks might not like that idea, but if we wanna keep our small businesses, we need to look at non-traditional ways to make it work at least for the time being!
There is a large multi level free parking structure nearby now, so as long as they keep access to that, from Railroad Ave, parking should be fine
It is about time the city does something to support the Newhall Main Street restaurants. This is a major step in the right direction. Another great add on to this would be to relax all side street parking to accommodate the parking for patrons as well as free parking in the new parking structure near Lyons along with a shuttle service to the restaurants at the far end of Main Street. In addition have the city run a Dine on Main Street contest where restaurants give coupons or tickets to patrons for a specific period and the city then does a drawing for a prize which can be like something donated by another business in the city (I’m sure we could come up with something).
Finding parking has always been the hardest thing around there. On more than two occasions I’ve had to change my mind and go to another part of town for food after driving around the place a couple of times without finding any spot to pack.. Dark alleys are not the best places to oack at night to eat dinner!
Uber/Lyft lets help them.
Thank you City of Santa Clarita Council members for moving forward with this plan. We have some great restaurants that serve amazing food there. They need our business, and we would rather enjoy their food at their business location rather than take out service. We can abide by practicing safe distancing and wear masks to prevent the spread of covid while we enjoy a great meal. I’m sure the community will be very supportive of this plan!
Isn’t there a brand-new parking structure next to the Palace of Books?
That’s right Dave and less than two years old it’s the one, the only… world renowned architecturally resplendent State of the Art Beautiful Downtown Newhall Multi-story Parking Structure with its unparalleled views of the entire Santa Clarita Valley.
That would be so awesome. Just this last Saturday my wife and I went to Main st in Ventura because they did that and we loved it but it was a bit cold but for us in SC we have the great summer nights.
Maybe the city will get a clue and make it permanent. People race thru there like it’s the 14 frwy. I’m surprised no one has been run over. It would be cool to have a promenade style downtown. It’s nice to see the city being proactive. Good job!
I understand that restaurants are hurting and appreciate that the city is trying to help. Unfortunately, not being to drive close to the restaurants means that I will not be able to take my handicapped mother out to eat at any of the restaurants.
Thank you for this. You do need to go all the way to Lyons as it is completely unfair for the restaurants closer to Lyons. We went to Ventura this past weekend and they had closed the Main Street in their downtown. They made enough space to make the restaurants successful! It was fantastic. It should be permanent. Now that there is a parking structure, close the street!!!
Great idea, but too bad they couldn’t of done this on the front end of the Covid crisis while everyone was shut down more.
Finally!!!
Absolutely this needs to be done! Main Street in Ventura has done it and it is awesome!
I am THRILLED! I hope it remains, I love our little downtown and want to support these local businesses, and will more than once a week.
Especially hard trying to find a space by Jasmins Bakery. There are only a few spaces in front with of course handicapped spaces. There is parking in the rear but it is tight when there are too many cars there. I always go by there when I am coming from the gas station and if there’s no space I just go to another part of town.
That will be nice! Just don’t walk/park across the railroad tracks where many gangs/bad behaviors cause constant mayhem! The beautiful train station already had graffiti all over it within a week! That area has frequent beatings/theft/burglary/stabbings & shootings! Be safe!