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Despite calls from residents to save an outdoor dining area located in the heart of downtown Fullerton, the program won’t continue past the end of this month.
Last Tuesday, Fullerton City Council members deadlocked on a motion to extend the Walk on Wilshire program – a 200-foot street enclosure on Wilshire Avenue – after months of petitioning and advocacy from local businesses, residents and community members supporting the pedestrian plaza.
Mayor Fred Jung and newly elected Councilwoman Jamie Valencia were the dissenting votes last week that put an end to Fullerton’s pedestrian alley that arose from pandemic-era lockdowns back in 2022, with Councilman Nick Dunlap recusing himself from the vote.
Council members Ahmad Zahra and Shana Charles voted to continue the outdoor dining program indefinitely.
Following a proposal from Jung last October, Fullerton city staff looked into the potential costs and surveyed local businesses and residents on full road closure from Malden Avenue to Harbor Boulevard.
This came after residents and local business owners packed city council meetings last year advocating to keep the outdoor space as a staple of downtown.
[Read: Fullerton Moves to Keep Outdoor Dining in Downtown]
“I have other ideas that I would like to do with this type of concept, so I’m not in favor of the motion,” Valencia said during last Tuesday’s council meeting.
During the last election cycle, Valencia had received $2,500 in campaign donations from Tony Bushala, a Fullerton businessman who’s been a strong opponent of the pedestrian plaza, and helped fund City Council candidates in prior elections alongside his brothers, including Mayor Jung in 2020.
Valencia clarified at the same meeting that she’s in the process of returning the campaign funds to Bushala to avoid violating California’s updated Levine Act – which prohibits elected officials from voting on items that benefit campaign donors within a year of receiving the contribution.
Sunayana Thomas, Fullerton’s director of community and economic development, said during the same meeting that city staff needed more time to determine the long-term feasibility of an outdoor plaza, but a majority of people surveyed were in favor of keeping it.
Proponents of keeping the pedestrian plaza argue that downtown Fullerton already has limited options for outdoor dining and areas that promote walkability.
A volunteer group, referred to as “Save Walk on Wilshire,” gathered over 2,000 signatures – which included local business owners – last October in support of keeping the pedestrian zone.
Allison Ritto, owner of Allison’s Goods on Harbor Boulevard, said during public comment that Walk on Wilshire “has become a scapegoat” for businesses that are struggling due to the economy, ignoring the benefits and popularity of the street enclosure.
Why Not Keep Outdoor Dining in Downtown?
In a Wednesday interview, Jung said to continue to close off a singular street “is not a good use of our resources,” despite residents and other community members packing public meetings to keep Walk on Wilshire.
Jung said that he’s been skeptical of other city projects in the past – like the addition of a staircase atop of Lion’s Field – that have become popular attractions for Fullerton.
“Morning, noon and night – people walk it, get some exercise. People drive all over from different cities,” he said.
But Jung is not as optimistic for an outdoor plaza on Wilshire Avenue.
Based on a city staff report, the city would need roughly $250,000 to implement a full street closure that would make for a permanent outdoor space for residents.
In the past, Councilwoman Shana Charles told Voice of OC that the city can afford to front the costs for a project that has “landslide” support from residents and “is worth fighting for.”
[Read: Will Fullerton’s Walk On Wilshire Become Permanent?]
Charles – who has long advocated to keep Walk on Wilshire in downtown – said in a phone interview on Thursday that allowing for street closures is ultimately to help all downtown businesses, though she understands the reluctance of some business owners.
“People need to remember that it’s the work of years, sometimes decades to make good things happen,” Charles said.
Other cities in Orange County, like Seal Beach, recently approved allowing more outdoor dining options on Main Street at storefronts, a part of town that also has restaurants, coffee shops and other local businesses.
Seal Beach voters this past election cycle approved of a sales tax hike, increasing the city’s sales tax to 9.25%, tied for the highest among OC cities. The city is currently facing a $6 million budget deficit.
[Read: Here’s Where OC Voters Stand on Sales Tax Increases in 2024]
Similarly, Fullerton is staring at a $5 million budget deficit for this year’s general budget.
What’s Next for Downtown Fullerton?
Currently, the city is in the works for another development known as the Fox Block, located adjacent to the historic Fox Theatre on Harbor Boulevard. The pedestrian space is expected to have a dedicated food hall that allows for outdoor dining options.
During a phone interview, Fullerton Mayor Jung highlighted that reopening Wilshire Avenue does not mean a potential development in downtown is off the table for City Council in the future.
“Folks need to take a step back sometimes and realize that this is not the end,” he said. “That doesn’t mean the discussion can’t morph into something else, something better, or something more long term.”
Hugo Rios is a Voice of OC reporting fellow. Contact him at hugo.toni.rios@gmail.com or on Twitter @hugoriosss.
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