The owner of the Malibu Country Mart voiced his continued opposition to the idea of an ordinance that would regulate chain stores in the Malibu Civic Center area, calling the proposal “damaging to the commercial property environment.”
Country Mart owner Michael Koss said Thursday that Malibu’s retail environment does not need local government to regulate what businesses set up shop in Malibu.
Koss is “extremely concerned that the City of Malibu is pursuing further government regulation to restrict commercial property owners through its draft formula retail ordinance. “
Furthermore, Koss said there’s already a balance of chain businesses and locally owned businesses in the Civic Center.
“Studies from both the Planning Department and independent economists have indicated that Malibu’s retail community is already diverse with respect to its tenant mix and there is not an over-saturation of formula retailers,” Koss said in a statement.
Koss’ statement comes two days after the City of Malibu released a draft of an ordinance that would require formula retail/chain store business owners to obtain a conditional use permit from the city if they want to open up shop in the Civic Center.
Under the draft proposal, a chain store is defined as having six or more establishments operating in Southern California (outside of Malibu), but it excludes banks, grocery stores, gas stations and “existing formula retail uses that change ownership, exclusively.”
Once the 30-day public review period ends April 11, the city’s planning staff will schedule the draft item for Planning Commission public hearing and then the same at a City Council meeting.
The draft and environmental report are available for review at Malibu City Hall or at malibucity.org. Public comments may be submitted in person or via email to Smith at jsmith@malibucity.org.