Malibu’s City Council voted Monday to restrict the amount of space chain stores can lease in Civic Center shopping centers, but much less than a citizens’ initiative would. The council also voted to place the citizens’ initiative on the November ballot.
Under the ordinance approved Monday, chain stores will be limited to 45 percent of space in downtown shopping centers. The citizens’ initiative calls for chain store space to be limited to 30 percent.
The citizens’ initiative, also known as the Reiner initiative as actor-director Rob Reiner is one of the main backers of the movement, also restricts the size of chain stores to less than 2,500 square feet and requires a conditional use permit for stores smaller than 2,500 square feet. Under the Reiner initiative, voter approval would also be required for mixed use developments greater than 20,000 square.
The ordinance adopted by the council does not impose any of those restrictions.
Chain store opponents gathered about 2,300 signatures to put the initiative on the ballot.
The council meeting lasted for five hours and featured two hours of public comment on this issue, according to the Malibu Times.
The vote for the ordinance was unanimous. The council voted 4-1 to place the initiative on the ballot. Councilwoman Joan House opposed.
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