CORONA DEL MAR TODAY

Fuji Grill Seeks Year-Round Beach Parking

Regular customers at the Fuji Grill at Big Corona State Beach have had their parking privileges cut off as part of a seasonal arrangement with the city of Newport Beach — and they’re not happy, according to owner John Lee. Lee has asked the Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce and its Business Improvement District board members to support him when he goes before City Council, asking for an extension to his parking deal with the city for the beach location of his Japanese-American restaurant. Currently, in the winter months, customers have 16 spaces available to them in the beach lot. But in the summer season, the validation and parking system is unavailable and parking costs up to $10.

“In order to survive, I need to have decent parking,” Lee said. “Most of our customers verbally complained, and six wrote letters. I need help. I built a customer base in the last nine months. Now they can’t come in because they don’t want to pay more than a meal costs just for parking.”

City Councilwoman Nancy Gardner said the plan had been to help draw customers to the Fuji Grill in the slow winter months, figuring that seasonal crowds and tourists would drive business up in the summer. But, she said, helping maintain a loyal customer base was important and had not been considered. She said she would discuss the situation with her staff and try to come up with a compromise, perhaps extending the validation system except for summer weekends. The board also voted unanimously to write a letter of support for Lee to take to the City Council.

“In summer, I want to continue my business with my built-up customers,” Lee said.