There will be pizza on the patio at a Winnipeg restaurant this summer.

A city committee on Thursday morning denied a request by some residents in the River Heights neighbourhood, who were hoping the city would reverse a decision to allow a patch of grass to be turned into a patio at Pizzeria Gusto on Academy Road.

The residents argued that an increase in parking and traffic would hurt their neighbourhood. They were concerned Academy would develop into something like the Corydon Avenue strip, a popular stretch of restaurants, bars, coffee shops and retailers.

The appeals committee ruled Pizzeria Gusto's planned 40-seat patio is a tiny space that would not make a significant difference to the area.