Panama Joe's will not pursue outdoor dining parklet, councilmember says

A planned dining parklet outside Panama Joe’s in Belmont Shore will not be moving forward after the business decided last week to withdraw its application to build the structure, according to Long Beach City Councilmember Kristina Duggan.

Duggan announced the news in her weekly newsletter, stating that she met with Panama Joe’s ownership to discuss some of the concerns she’d heard from neighbors about the proposed parklet, and they agreed that “it was not in the best interest of the community to move forward.” 

Duggan represents the area of the city that includes Belmont Shore.

“Thank you to those who provided input,” Duggan said. “I also appreciate Panama Joe’s for working with us to hear the community’s voice in this process and for their ongoing efforts to be a good neighbor.” 

The application for Panama Joe’s was scheduled for hearing before the Long Beach City Council Tuesday night but that item has been pulled from the council’s agenda. 

Parklets became popular fixtures in the city during the pandemic when restaurants built temporary outdoor dining areas to serve guests amid shifting health orders. At the height of the pandemic, there were over 100 temporary structures across the city. 

Long Beach ordered those temporary parklets to be taken down in early 2023 as it readied a permanent parklet ordinance that would allow businesses in qualifying areas to rebuild new structures that meet city design and safety guidelines. 

Part of the policy that the City Council adopted in late 2022 allowed for residents neighboring the businesses who applied for parklets to have a say in the process. Under the policy, the city is required to post a public notice outside the business hoping to build a parklet and any letters received by the city about the project triggers a council hearing to approve the parklet. 

The Panama Joe’s parklet received 93 letters opposing the project and 15 supporting it, according to a city report. 

Residents have opposed parklets in the area because of their removal of parking spaces to build out more dining space for businesses in Belmont Shore, which has been designated by the city as a parking impacted area because of the scarcity of spots to park vehicles. 

They’ve also pushed back on parklets in the area because of concerns about noise and concerns about access for people with disabilities who have to navigate already tight sidewalks in the area among other issues. 

While the council has approved other proposed parklet projects on Second Street earlier this year, including one for Legends Restaurant & Sports Bar and Open Sesame, they differed from the proposal at Panama Joe’s because of their location.

Both Legends and Open Sesame are located closer toward the middle of the blocks they’re located on while Panama Joe’s is on a corner, which led to concerns from residents that the noise from patrons at that outdoor patio would be channeled down Granada Avenue.

The city's parklet program allows businesses to build more permanent structures than those seen during the pandemic but the permits to operate them are subject to annual review and could be revoked if a parklet becomes a nuisance to surrounding homes and businesses.