health department is really interested in this project,” Rawson said. “Of course we have to follow state law but they have offered some helpful tips to work around all this.”
According to Rawson, the health department also is opposed to having food prepared on the Promenade. However, she said nearby restaurants could be allowed to sell meals made in advance instead.
County and city officials are recommending Bayside not only rotate which restaurants are featured, but they believe by moving the food tent every 25 days, it could pass muster under the health department codes.
Mark Richter, director of the city’s Risk Management department, will recommend to the Bayside’s board of directors at its July 25th meeting to rotate the dining tent weekly between the three Promenade courts. There are three courts on the Promenade, one for each block.
Richter said moving the dining tent frequently shouldn’t be difficult for Bayside employees because it already had to be moved on a nightly basis.
“The tent has to be something that could be put up each morning and taken down each evening,” Richter said. “That way these court areas can still be used by street performers during the evening, when the Promenade gets busy.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 25, 2002. Read the original PDF.