Manhattan Beach : Hot Dog Stand Furniture

The City Council voted unanimously to allow James Fitzpatrick to keep tables and chairs on a patio in front of his hot dog stand.

The council also directed the Public Works Commission to study whether the city’s policy against furniture in the public right of way in front of commercial businesses should be liberalized.

Fitzpatrick’s business, Putting on the Dog, is at 229 13th St., a pedestrian walkway. He said the chairs will be used for public viewing of the ocean and will not be limited to customers. He argued that they will be similar to the viewing benches proposed in the city’s Streetscape downtown improvement plan and should be considered an amenity for residents rather than an encroachment on public land.