Santa Monica has been named a finalist for the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.'s Eddy Awards for the second consecutive year, the city announced Oct. 6.
The city is one of seven finalists for the "Most Business-Friendly City" award in the large cities category. It was recognized for streamlining permitting, its Business Concierge service and its commercial activation efforts. Honorees will be announced Nov. 4 at a ceremony at the Rose Bowl.
"A city is business friendly when someone with a good idea can get a permit, open their doors and hire their neighbors without waiting on us," Mayor Caroline Torosis said. "We have spent the last several years updating our zoning, lowering fees and simplifying our processes to get there."
The city's Realignment Plan, adopted in October 2025, built on earlier zoning and policy changes to further lower costs and speed approvals. It created a $3 million Economic Development Fund, launched one-time $5,000 grants for small brick-and-mortar businesses and eliminated the city's portion of the wastewater capacity charge, a change the city said lets a 50-seat restaurant keep $50,000.
The plan also cut sidewalk dining fees by 75% per square foot, halved parklet fees, created a free program allowing restaurants to offer basic outdoor dining without permits and expanded the city's Entertainment Zone beyond Third Street Promenade.
The Business Concierge program answered more than 800 business inquiries in its first year. Within four months of the plan's launch, on-time first-round commercial reviews rose more than 40 points to 92.5%, and a pilot self-certification program now issues permits within five business days.
The city also cited safety and cleanup efforts, including a police substation on Third Street Promenade that opened in June, full sworn police staffing for the first time in 20 years and a $3.5 million commercial district improvement program that has cleared 502 tons of debris.
Upcoming events include a Swiss Winter Village on the Santa Monica Pier from November through January and an ESPN broadcast center on Santa Monica Beach during Super Bowl week in February.
More information is available in the Santa Monica Scorecard. For more on the Eddy Awards, visit laedc.org/30theddys.
Edited by SMDP Staff