New Fast-Food Restaurants Blocked for a Year in Los Angeles Low-Income Neighborhoods

The One Sentence Summary: An ordinance banning new fast-food establishments for a one-year period has been approved unanimously by the Los Angeles City Council for certain areas in South Los Angeles.


Full Posting:

The moratorium on issuance of building permits for new stand-alone restaurant projects affects a 32-square-mile area in South Los Angeles, including Southeast Los Angeles, West Adams, Baldwin Hills and the Leimert Park community planning areas. The Director of City Planning has discretion to approve a project permit upon the demonstration of a number of factors including size of the project, parking availability, litter control, and absence of a “Drive-through Window”.

Proponents of the measure, Council members Jan Perry and Bernard Parks, hope to use the time to encourage new development, including grocery stores and sit-down restaurants, in their districts. They expressed the hope of encouraging more healthy food alternatives in the area. The measure can be extended for as much as an additional 12 months if the two 6-month extension options are triggered.

“Fast Food Restaurant” is defined in the draft “Interim Control Ordinance” submitted to the City Council as “Any establishment which dispenses food for consumption on or off the premises, and which has the following characteristics: a limited menu, items prepared in advance or prepared or heated quickly, no table orders, and food served in disposable wrapping or containers.” ICO 07-1658.

This updates the earlier blog entry
http://www.retaillawobserver.com/2007/12/proposed-ban-on-fast-food-restaurants.html