Big Bear News – Big Bear Lake, CA – The City Council approved a trial plan for a road closure in the Big Bear Lake Village for this coming weekend. In an effort to promote greater physical distancing and to provide more options for outdoor dining and retail, the City will close Pine Knot Avenue to vehicular traffic this coming weekend, July 25 – 26. Pine Knot Avenue will be closed from 7 am on Saturday through 10 pm on Sunday, and will become a pedestrian plaza for this period of time. Village Drive will be open to vehicle traffic all weekend long, but the diagonal parking spaces will be closed also from 7 am Saturday through 10 pm on Sunday and available for restaurant and retail use by adjacent businesses. Restaurants on Pine Knot Avenue will be permitted to set up tables for outdoor dining on the public sidewalk and in the parallel parking spaces directly in front of each restaurant. Restaurants will be able to set up tables for wait service or for take-out customers to utilize after picking up their food. No permit is required, however, all restaurants must maintain 6 feet of separation between tables, maintain a safe and clean environment, maintain adequate aisle widths, and must comply with applicable California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) requirements. Retail establishments on Pine Knot Avenue will also be permitted to display merchandise on the public sidewalks and parallel public parking spaces directly in front of their establishment, and must maintain a safe and clean environment, and maintain adequate aisle widths. No permit is required. Village business visitors may utilize the many public parking lot areas within and adjacent to the Big Bear Lake Village. Again, the planned closure is a trial for this coming weekend, and any future closures will be determined by the City Council at a later date.
