SEAL BEACH : Council Kills Ruby’s Patio Dining Plan

A restaurant’s proposal to construct a patio dining area at the end of the Seal Beach Pier was killed last week by the City Council. The proposal by Ruby’s restaurant had raised the ire of some residents who opposed having a portion of the pier removed from public use.

The Planning Commission last month rejected Ruby’s plan. The state Department of Fish and Game had also raised concerns about it. Ruby’s hoped to appeal the Planning Commission’s decision to the City Council. But the council last week decided not to hear the appeal.

Ruby’s, which operates an indoor restaurant at the pier, proposed using about 900 square feet of the landmark structure for a patio area accessible only to restaurant customers.

Restaurant owners said the patio would be built in an area infrequently used by the public. But fishermen and others who use the pier said the city should not remove more of the structure from public use.

“This was designed for the public,” said resident Gordon Shanks at last week’s council meeting.

The state Wildlife Conservation Board--a branch of the Department of Fish and Game--also reviewed the proposal and found that Ruby’s patio design should leave more than the proposed six feet for public use between the dining area and the edge of the pier.

Previous attempts to expand the number of buildings or businesses at the pier have met stiff public opposition. A plan to build a two-story building at the end of the pier was rejected in the mid-1980s.