Councilmember Lauren Meister is asking the City of West Hollywood to develop policies that will make life easier for owners of small businesses in WeHo.
A proposal that will go before the City Council on Monday calls for the city to develop a “commercial vacancy registry program.” That program would establish a registry for vacant and abandoned storefronts and commercial properties. A count of vacant storefronts prepared by Meister shows 10% are currently vacant, with vacancies as high as 17.6% on Doheny Drive and 16.9% on Melrose Avenue.
The proposal also would have the city use the registry to promote opportunities for small businesses. One example given is creating a small business rental referral list, much like the monthly apartment vacancy lists that city now produces. The proposal also would require property owners to pay a maintenance fee if they aren’t already maintaining the empty property. And it would require landlords to put art or movie posters in the windows of storefronts vacant for more than 30 days.
Meister also proposes the city establish a special review process for new “formula retail” or chain store properties. “Requiring planning review of formula retail by the Director of Community Development, similar to current planning review of business expansion efforts or alcohol permits, would give the public an opportunity to ‘weigh in’ on whether they are individually desired in the community and may help lower costs for independent retailers, specifically by helping lower rents,” the proposal states.
An effort by Meister to restrict formula retail stores in West Hollywood was shot down in September, with opponents including the Chamber of Commerce and other Council members saying it would unfairly restrict businesses such as Starbucks.
In her proposal, Meister says a planning review process “would also help to preserve the unique qualities of the city and encourage the continued growth of the diverse retail base of neighborhood serving and independently owned businesses that cater to the needs of West Hollywood.”
Other ideas include:
— Requiring that small retail tenants be able to use a mediator rather than bring an expensive lawsuit in disputes with landlords.
— Reducing parking space requirements for small retailers. “Many small, independent retail stores do not have the customer ‘traffic’ to warrant the number of parking spaces required by code,” the proposal states. … Furthermore, expanded transportation options, shared ride services such as Uber and Lyft, and public transportation are changing how people get around in the city. ”
— Creating small storefront spaces, known as linear spaces. “For large commercial developments (e.g. 50,000+ square feet), property owners can be required to include set- asides of ground level storefront space for small businesses of varying sizes, from 250 sq. ft. up to 5,000 sq. ft.” the proposal says.
The City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the City Council Chambers, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd. south of Santa Monica.
Ms Meister – I see the biggest problem is Parking. As I suggest in the weho park article, a 2 level metered lot JUST LIKE BH has behind the shops in the parking (10spaces) at the north end of weho park. Gives the ability for quick shopping/dinging and the park with actually a more attractive park than the current back side of the shops. I saud metered… how could weho not make more metered spots w/ the new extended hours and price increase in meter fines.
Personally, this if overreach of government and unnecessary expense by the citizen’s. This type of study should by initiated by the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce with community input on types of businesses. The research should focus on each districts demographics and socioeconomic standing. The eastside should be approached along with WHCC on businesses that compliment the average income of our City. Businesses’ like: Soup Plantation, Urban Home, H & M, Non-profits… Like it or not, Chain stores come in all shapes and sizes and fit well in the mix of most of our city. I do not support this… Read more »
@Steve Martin. You sound like Donald Trumpette when your write: “there are at least two Council seats whose re-elections were bank-rolled by big developers.” I guess you forgot that D’Amico took from developers, small and large. And, Ms. Meister had an “uncoordinated” Independent Expenditure Committee that spent $40,000.00 to get her elected, apparently now to the dismay of Dr. Son of Roll Industries. As to the merits of the “small [minded] business” support issue, I thought you were a lawyer? 1) Force the commercial property owners to put art in their windows? Oh yeah right; no First Amendment issue there.… Read more »
Why not listen to the small business owners who have spoken up asking for the city to lower the special event fees (that doubled two years ago) we can promote our own business. Otherwise many of the proposals don’t really help small business operate, – a city register of empty spaces, what’s that really do? Help landlords who have lousy agents? Decorating empty storefronts, what’s that do to help the guy next door? Reducing parking space requirements, that’s only for food or bars and there is no parking required for a retailer, the opposite effect might happen that will make… Read more »
High five to Jennifer..her post made me chuckle out loud. Thanks for that.
I appreciate Lauren’s attention to this obscure but important issue. Unless you have a real understanding of what it is like to try and scope out let alone secure commerical real estate opportunities in Los Angeles you don’t have a clue how valuable any attention paid to this is. Hence, her attempt is a welcomed one. Every issue doesn’t have to be second guessed as one with a dark, ulterior motive. And this one in particular is more helpful than you know. @ Luca: a lot of folks would like to start a business here – Hello!? @ Alison: her… Read more »
I’m not sure about the “art” and “movie poster” thing. That has the potential to be more tacky and offensive than an empty store front.
If all this helps get a Panda Express back in Weho, I’m all for it…..But wait, that’s a chain….oh well.
omg, i think my head will explode; a program to calculate empty retail space? what, like we citizens and every landlord and realtor don’t already know. telling landlords what kind of space they can rent? linear spaces? forcing mediation and restricting the kinds of businesses that want to come to west hollywood is insane. what woman or man would want to open a business here? the only thing missing from ms. meister’s proposal is somehow calling it a ‘five year plan’. how soviet ! has this woman ever earned a check that did not come from government? what business has… Read more »
This seems like a very practical and common sense proposal to me that would actually help actual small business owners and benefit the public. It should have unanimous support in any progressive city. I doubt that it will pass here.
Jennifer, there already at least two Council seats whose re-elections were bank rolled by big developers and vote in the interest of mindless “growth”. We don’t need any more.
We do need to develop new strategies to keep our unique business in place so that West Hollywood remains a “destination” city; otherwise within a couple of years we won’t be any different that Irvine or Santa Clarita. At least Lauren Mesiter is trying to preserve the West Hollywood we love rather than see it transformed into a soul-less canyon of steel and glass high rises.
All these “incentives” are simply anti-business. Why doesn’t the Council vote to make West Hollywood more business friendly by eliminating two of the Council seats. Just ask the Chamber which two are the least business friendly and which waste the most time bringing items that hurt our local economy. “Small Business Incentives–really?” Bye Felicia and take your fur-ban friend with you.
Meister seems to be obsessed with chain stores. Give it a rest, Ms. Meister. They aren’t the most important things in the world. If you want to help small business in West Hollywood, maybe look into all the fees they have to pay and lower them. Make it easier to own a business here. (I don’t own one so I’m just throwing an idea out there.) Don’t keep business out.