By Mary O’KEEFE

Montrose Shopping Park Association held its monthly meeting on Thursday. The board discussed plans to return to holding in-person events, including the Annual Car Show currently scheduled for Sept. 5 and the Annual Montrose Arts and Crafts Festival scheduled for Oct. 23 and Oct. 24. Oktoberfest, sponsored by the Montrose Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce, is scheduled for Oct. 2.

The board also discussed discontinuing the al fresco dining arrangements in Montrose. This is the pandemic work-around in which K-rails were set, and decorated, along Honolulu Avenue as a way for restaurants to provide outdoor dining for patrons, helping them survive the financial devastation of the pandemic because interior dining was not allowed per COVID-19 guidelines.

On June 1 the Glendale City Council directed its city staff to extend the downtown program.

“Council directed staff to extend the downtown program to the end of October and in the meantime develop solutions for consideration of a long-term program, including enhanced parklets that improved aesthetics and experience,” stated Bradley Calvert, assistant director of Community Development, Planning and Economic Development for Glendale.

Although the City will be removing the parklets at the end of October, Montrose parklets were originally scheduled for removal after Labor Day.

“We have had conversations with Montrose [Shopping Park Association] as they have expressed interest in having them removed just before Labor Day for their car show,” Calvert added.

During Thursday’s MSPA meeting, Casa Córdoba Restaurant owner, and MSPA board member, Jeannie Bone voiced concern about notifying restaurant owners of the end to the al fresco program in a timely manner. She stated it would be better to let them know sooner than later so they could best prepare for the change.

On Tuesday board members were informed by Calvert’s office that they should inform businesses of the anticipated timeline to remove the parklets.

“We asked the MSPA to provide this information since it was their position to not extend the program,” he said.

Calvert said his office has spoken to some businesses that have reached out to the Council and invited anyone who would like to speak about the matter to contact his office.

Calvert is scheduled to attend the MSPA board meeting on July 1. Meeting information can be found at shopmontrose.com; click on MSPA.

The parklets, or al fresco dining, have proven to be very popular with diners not just in Glendale and Montrose but also throughout California. During the pandemic restaurants first were only allowed to provide delivery or pick-up service. Then some restrictions were lifted and outdoor dining was allowed. Cities across the state and country began to place K-rails in parking spaces to provide seating for patrons. For some restaurants these parklets expanded existing outdoor dining while for others it was a completely new way of providing service. Restaurants scrambled to get outdoor heaters, tents, tables and chairs. The City of Glendale also helped with supplies when needed.

People filled those Montrose dining tables, and all appeared to be happy to just to be out again. Many restaurants found their “groove” and when interior dining was once again allowed and dining rooms began to fill outside dining remained a popular option as well.

One issue with the al fresco program is the amount of parking that is lost due to outdoor dining, and parking in most California towns is a premium commodity. Retail shops and restaurants are affected by the loss of parking and with the upcoming events the parklets would limit parking and display spaces. The MSPA board asked the City to help find new ways of extending outdoor dining without taking away parking spaces.

“There have been questions about expanding opportunities for sidewalk dining, but that is something we would review on an independent application process per each business,” Calvert said. “We are not planning for a committee on this matter at the time, as MSPA was firm in their desire to see the al fresco locations removed by Labor Day.”