Huntington Beach extends second block of Main Street closure for rest of 2021

The Huntington Beach City Council unanimously voted Tuesday night to extend the closure of the second block of Main Street through the end of 2021.

Outdoor dining has been offered on the second block since last summer, to stimulate restaurant and retail business. In February, the closure was extended through Labor Day per the request of the Downtown Business Improvement District.

Now visitors will be able to enjoy outdoor dining through the end of the year.

The Downtown BID continues to support the second block closure, according to a staff report prepared by director of community development Ursula Luna-Reynosa. Though indoor dining is now back at full capacity, City Manager Oliver Chi advised the council that keeping the second block closed would be helpful not only because of the emergence of the Delta variant of the coronavirus, but also because the city is working on a more comprehensive reimagining of downtown Huntington Beach.

City Council members also discussed re-closing the third block of Main Street to street traffic, at least partially, with one-way traffic.

“If there isn’t a closure, I do think that having the physical barriers and structures [between the second and third block] ... that’s a concern to me,” Councilwoman Natalie Moser said. “I know when I went down there, I sat there, and you could see people come up to it and stop.”

Councilman Mike Posey, who lives downtown, agreed that the barriers represent a psychological impediment.

“What the third block is looking for is an extension of the energy that’s experienced on the second block into the third block, without adversely affecting their neighbors across the street,” Posey said. “I think there’s probably some compromise that we can figure out as we develop a more comprehensive plan.”

Chi said city staff will continue discussion with the third block businesses on a possible compromise plan.

“We’re definitely looking to clean up the area and build some cohesion, even if we don’t do anything to the street,” he said.

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