Help For Small Businesses in San Diego?

Lorie Zapf and Tony Young have released a Small Business Assistance Package designed to help small businesses cut through the red tape of city government and get the local economy growing. The effort is in part the result of an outreach effort by Zapf to small businesses. Some key provisions.

1. Code Compliance Amnesty
2. Small Business Liaison / Code Compliance Representative
3. Reinstitute Regulatory Relief Days
4. Business Improvement District Enhancement/Small Business Policy Innovation Zones
5. Implement Sunset Clauses in Business Regulations

I am not a business owner, but the details sound good. Helping business expand is just what we need. Driving around this district, I see too many vacant storefronts and lots. Had some questions as well.

1. Why can't small businesses always be granted time to correct code violations? Why just an amnesty period?

2. The Innovation Zone proposal states in part: ". . .expediting permits within the zone, lifting sign ordinance restrictions within the zone and creating specific programmatic EIRs (or some variation) for the zone." It is a sad state of affairs that permit expediting is needed at all. Since tax revenue accrues to growing businesses, one would think that hiring more staff to expedite permits would pay for itself through increased tax revenue. Is there a flaw in my thinking?

3. Sunset clauses are one of the best ways to prevent regulatory creep, because it keeps the regulators on the defensive defending the need to regulate. Why couldn't this be a California amendment?

This is good work from our council member, good to see her fighting the good fight.

Thought I had the scoop on this item, but it looks like the U-T beat me to the punch. News 8 as well.

Cross-posted to sdrostra.