SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) — Parklets — which is a way for restaurants and bars to adapt to outdoor dinning during the pandemic — are now here to stay.
San Francisco city supervisors voted this week in favor of a revised version of the shared spaces ordinance allowing business to permanently operate outdoor spaces built on sidewalks and parking spaces.
Some people love it and said it feels like your in Paris when you’re sitting in one of the parklets, but other people have concerns.
“I think it’s got it’s pros and cons actually,” Gian Carlos Poeessy said.
Poeessy just had his first parklet experience at the Old Ship saloon near Battery Street and Pacific Avenue –he says he’s not sold on the concept.
“At the moment it’s pretty cool but when you can’t find parking then it kind of sucks,” he said.
He also said he didn’t realize just how close the traffic would be.
“I kind of tripped on how close they were.”
And that’s caused issues at other locations in the past.
Early in the morning on June 18, a car barreled into Aquitaine Wine Bar and Bistro near Church and Market streets.
“It’s just not safe in general. I’ve never been a very big proponent of them.”
The owner, Andrew Fidelman says when he goes out and eat at other restaurant — he won’t sit in a parklet because he’s worried about safety.
The crash at his restaurant happened after closing, but could have hurt someone if they were open.
“Never hit their breaks, crashed into a wall here, never stopped and flew and crashed into the end of the parklet.”
Kevin Haggerty was having a drink at Millay’s parklet near Market and Dolores streets.
“There are some concerns on safety because I’ve seen over on Gough Street where there’s cars that have taken out parts of parklets but I feel fairly safe wherever I am.”
But overall — he still likes the parklets.
“I think parklets are the best thing that San Francisco has adopted.”