Half assed, but its a start.

Main Street shutdown OKd

Huntington council approves making stretch pedestrian-only for 12 Tuesdays. By JENNIFER MUIR

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER





HUNTINGTON
BEACH – The City Council on Monday night voted to shut down the city's
main drag on Tuesday for 12 consecutive "Local's Nights," striking a
compromise with business owners who were concerned about making Main
Street a pedestrian-only thoroughfare.
More than a dozen
people urged City Council members to back off proposals to transform
Main Street into a pedestrian-only mall during weekends for three
months. Some called the idea of a pedestrian-only thoroughfare
"ridiculous" and "horrible." One resident spoke in favor of the plan.
"If
you close it, it's going to hurt everyone's business down there, said
Rick Fignetti, who owns Rockin' Fig surf shop on Main Street. "There's
an excitement of Main Street, with all the classic cars coming down."
The
city began looking at ways to close Main Street to cars earlier this
year, hoping to make it more like the Third Street Promenade in Santa
Monica. Think street performers, shopping, landscaping and more outdoor
dining.
Now, the city will close off two blocks of Main Street
for Local's Nights for 12 consecutive Tuesdays beginning March 6. The
events will include a farmers market, two hours of free parking, street
performances by groups like local high school bands and family
activities. They'll also shut down the street to coincide with five
already-scheduled special events.
Councilwoman Debbie Cook was one of six who voted to support the compromise.
"I
think downtown Huntington Beach is as close to a downtown pedestrian
mall as McDonald's is to a high-end restaurant," Cook said. Mayor Dave
Sullivan, the only member who voted against the compromise, said
downtown business owners needed to do more to support the city.
"All
they ever do is whine and ask more and more from the city," Sullivan
said. "I don't see them doing any part to do anything for the city."
Various plans to shut down the thoroughfare started floating around
town nearly a decade ago, economic development director Stanley
Smalewitz said.
City officials resurrected the idea earlier
this year when they began considering revising the plan for downtown
Huntington Beach in the face of two major developments: A hotel and
retail center a block away from Main Street called The Strand, and the
31-acre Pacific City development on Pacific Coast Highway, Smalewitz
said.
A group of city officials and downtown business owners in
May visited the Santa Monica pedestrian mall to begin brainstorming
ideas for shutting down the street.
Business owners on Monday
urged the council to back off the plans, saying their businesses will
suffer if the street is shut down and convenient parking is eliminated.

Downtown residents also spoke out against the plan, worried about detoured traffic clogging their streets and increasing noise.