City Hall taking requests for task force on Third Street Promenade mall
The responsibility of rebuilding the Third Street Promenade into the strong economic engine it once was will rest with just a handful of people.
But the make-up of the group that will ultimately steer the Third Street Promenade out of the treacherous waters it is now navigating has not yet been decided. And there is concern among some business representatives that not all voices will be heard when the new “task force” is formed.
City officials say they are almost done with blueprints for the new Third Street Promenade task force, which will be charged with finding ways to make sure no more retail stores take up precious space for restaurants.
The task force also will be asked to consider regulations that would prevent any new retail stores from coming in and how — if at all possible — the city can deter landlords from raising rents so small, locally owned stores and restaurants can remain there.
City officials say the Promenade is quickly becoming a retail corridor without any flavor, resembling shopping fare commonly found in suburban malls. The city for years has tried to manage the mall so it would be a unique and vibrant entertainment center. Ten years ago there were too many restaurants and not enough retail. Today, it’s just the opposite — large retailers are able to pay more per square foot than small businesses. Looking for the greatest return on their investment, landlords let the space go for whatever the market will bear.
But the Santa Monica City Council is trying to buck that economic trend. It voted last month to place a 45-day moratorium on all development and expansion, consolidation and changes in use of commercial properties along the Promenade. In the meantime, a task force is being formed to address the issues.
City administrators say they are on track to finish their report before the holidays. The city council wants the report presented at its first meeting in January so it can have a functioning task force by the end of next month.
“I think the approach will likely be the same (as the downtown parking task force),” said Mark Richter, economic management director the city “But it’s ultimately up to council as to how many members there will be and what their range and scope of work will be.”
Typically, the city has created similar task forces that have two council members, two Bayside committee members and a planning commissioner. City officials would not confirm if their recommendation would be similar to past task force ratios.
“Generally speaking, we like to keep these kinds of task forces with no more than seven members,” said Suzanne Frick, the city’s planning director. “After that, we start to lose efficiency as the group gets larger.”
“Generally speaking, we like to keep these kinds of task forces with no more than seven members.” — — SUZANNE FRICK Santa Monica planning director
Officials say the goal is to develop city regulations “If it swings too far out of balance not only will the Promenade be hurt but a lot of the rest of the downtown as well,” said Mayor Michael Feinstein recently, “and also the entire city’s economy because the Promenade is (the city’s) primary draw.”
Landlords say the regulation is unneeded meddling in an already fragile economy along the Promenade.
“We are very concerned there are businesses that are already not making it along the Promenade and we feel this might scare away any potential businesses that might want to move there,” Kathryn Dodson, executive director of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, told the Daily Press last month.
City officials say they have made an effort to be mindful of businesses’ concerns, and they said Kathleen Rawson, president of the Bayside Committee, has been allowed to make recommendations on the creation of the Promenade task force.
“I know we want to work closely with them on drafting these recommendations,” said Richter, “to address the changes in use we’re seeing along Third Street from restaurants to retail."
Individuals interested in serving on the Third Street Promenade task force should write a letter addressed to the city council at 1234 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90041. “I know many of us feel, including many council members, what needs be addressed is more than a change of use,” said Richter, “but the root causes for the changes we’re seeing.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 17, 2001. Read the original PDF.