The City of West Hollywood will launch its OUT on Robertson pilot program beginning this Saturday, April 17, 2021. Robertson Boulevard will close south of Santa Monica Boulevard and north of Melrose Avenue to vehicular traffic on Saturdays and Sundays. The boulevard will transform into a destination zone for pedestrians offering outdoor dining, retail and occasional activities with COVID-19 safety protocols in place as the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announces reopening guidelines allowing for higher numbers of patrons.
OUT on Robertson is an extension to the compact OUT Zones throughout the City, which began in August 2020. The City’s Temporary Outdoor Expansion Permit program offers streamlined approval for businesses to use sidewalks, on-street parking spaces, and private parking lots as areas to expand operations.
“Closing this highly trafficked and bustling stretch of Robertson will provide a pedestrian-safe space that allows for appropriate social distancing as the Public Health Department eases capacity restrictions while still monitoring the spread of the virus,” said City of West Hollywood Council member John M. Erickson. “COVID is not over and we all must remain vigilant about protecting our own health, and the health of others. I’m looking forward to safely seeing you — at a distance and with your most fabulous masks on — OUT on Robertson!”
“The coronavirus pandemic has forced many of our local businesses to drastically alter how they serve the public. This has had a profound impact on the City of West Hollywood’s business community and has added to the economic challenges wrought by COVID-19,” said Council member John D’Amico. “Keeping our community safe, healthy, and thriving is priority one. Creating safe, socially distanced outdoor spaces for expanded operations is a creative approach that will help West Hollywood’s businesses, residents, and visitors as we continue to respond to the evolving pandemic.”
The pilot program will give people who live, work, and play in West Hollywood more opportunities to stay outside under palm trees by day and starry skies at night, while enjoying the best of what West Hollywood has to offer. People exploring West Hollywood’s OUT on Robertson are reminded that the City of West Hollywood has a mandatory face-covering requirement and people are urged to be mindful of maintaining six feet of social distancing for dining, shopping, and personal care.
Some West Hollywood residents in the neighboring area oppose the closure due to potential noise issues as well as added traffic issues on Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue and on their streets.
Joel Becker from Ashcroft Ave was disappointed to hear that the city council approved this closure without first reaching out to businesses and residents. “This process seems really backward and we should have been consulted before this project went forward……I’ve never seen a project come to us with so little planning.”
Resident Midge Barnett from Rangely Avenue, said that if the closure is successful in attracting more visitors than usual, “you’ll have hundreds of people that will be coming here Saturday night, all day Sunday. They are going to be parking and blocking up our streets”.
There will plenty of parking for cars around the corner at the West Hollywood Park structure, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard adjacent to the West Hollywood Library. Additional parking is also available at 650 N. La Peer Drive. For those using rideshare services, the City has established Drop Zones at the corner of Melrose Avenue and N. Robertson Boulevard.
To get answers to frequently asked questions, download FAQ here. For West Hollywood businesses interested in expanding to OUT on Robertson, please visit www.weho.org/business or email [email protected].
The most up-to-date list of participating OUT Zone businesses can be found at www.weho.org/outzones. OUT Zones are marked by colorful signage with spots to “Dine OUT” for restaurants and cafes, “Shop OUT” for boutiques and goods, and “Werk OUT” for exercise and personal care.
For more information about the OUT on Robertson pilot program, please contact City of West Hollywood Management Specialist Paolo Kespradit at (323) 848-6556 or at [email protected].
Nobody wanted this. Not West Hollywood West, Not the Norma Triangle Not even most of the businesses along Robertson. They shoved it down our throats with ZERO input from the community first.
This is ridiculous. Who is enforcing the social distancing? I hope not the same team that is “enforcing social distancing up and down Santa Monica Boulevard on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays” – the City Council is kidding themselves if they think this will be a safe socially distanced solution. This is only a solution to increase the Weho sales tax collection. When is this going to a city planning for review and when will the neighborhood populace be heard from again? They were totally ignored by the city council.
Well, Westhollywood nightlife is for adults this is not kindergarten …people should know to socially distance and selves but it doesn’t really matter because you know what on a busy Saturday and Friday night people are much closer together on the sidewalks bumping into each other passing each other this is a much more larger open space ….and what is wrong with collecting tax dollars improve the city and its overall services to the community where I’ve lived for 25 years and I enjoy it and I love it and I love businesses to do well …businesses are here to… Read more »
I’m thrilled to hear about this!
folks in the article already complaining about the noise. What noise?! No One lives On Robertson! Also the revenue It will bring to those businesses in the city will be great! Someone above asked why no one else the businesses …now why would anyone ask to have a way to bring more money into businesses can someone tell me?
The Abbey wants to set up a stage on Robertson.. THAT noise. The businesses along Robertson didn’t want it…the only business that did was the Abbey. Surprise. surprise.