HUNTINGTON BEACH : Many Protest Plan to Close Early July 4

A proposal to close Main Street businesses before dusk on the Fourth of July is drawing strong opposition from some downtown restaurant owners, who say they will present an alternative plan to city officials.

“If the city rolls up the sidewalk and shoos people out of town, they’ve accomplished their short-term goals,” said Susie Newman, co-owner of Mazzotti’s, an Italian restaurant. “But it’s not problem-solving, it’s overreacting. We have to come up with solutions.”

To discourage rowdiness and disturbances that have marred previous Fourth of July celebrations, the Downtown Business Assn. is advocating a 7 p.m. holiday closing time.

The Police Department is also supporting early closure of Main Street businesses. Lt. Dan Johnson said that the agency, however, is open to alternative suggestions from business owners. “We’ll listen all the way to the Fourth.”

Johnson said the department is also awaiting an opinion from the city attorney’s office on the legality of closing Main Street to cars and pedestrians.

Newman’s group, meanwhile, plans to meet Friday to develop a compromise to present to the City Council. “We’re real interested in assisting the city in solving the problems, but we were shut out of the process,” said Newman, adding that she and many other merchants were not included in drafting the initial proposal.