Strolling along the promenade on Avenida de la Playa, in La Jolla shores, is like walking on cloud nine for some San Diegans and tourists alike.

“It’s great!  And especially with kids, you just don’t have to worry about, you know, traffic or anything,” explained Kristai Newsome, visiting from Texas.

“I like the outside seating. There are not too many places that there you’re still, you know, able to sit outside and things since covid,” said San Diegan Shaylei Hershorin.

The future of the street, blocked off to car traffic between El Paseo Grande and Calle de la Plata Street, is uncertain.

The City of San Diego special events permit, that’s allowed the promenade to continue during certain hours since the pandemic, expires August 9th.

The city says they’re working with the La Jolla Shores Business Association,  who’s pursuing a permanent permit that won’t have to be renewed.

That’s music to the ears of businesses like Sushi Mori, who’ve been able to

attract and serve more customers thanks to the outdoor seating the promenade provides.

“We’re right by the beach. So, like, a lot of people love outdoor dining. Plus, the fact that, like, there’s no cars passing by,” said Sushi Mori’s Danny Kang. “They can see a little bit of the sunset out there just a little bit. So, like now we can say that we have a view out there.”

That slight view, thanks to the promenade, comes at the cost of a little more than 20 parking spaces.

“It’s pretty hard to get spots down here. Having a big vehicle is super hard to find parking,” said Shaylei Hershorin.

” I do get their frustration about like having less parking, ” said Kang.

There’s a proposal being reviewed to create 24 new parking spaces near Kellogg Park.

That would help the city meet California Coastal Commission rules that say any public parking spaces lost to outdoor dining setups must be replaced on-site or within 1200 feet.

Though the city did not say if they expect approval of the permanent permit before Saturday, they say the applicant is aware of the expiration and is diligently pursuing the permit.