SALON MAKEOVER
Will Bigham writes in the Daily Bulletin that the Claremont Planning Commission last week rejected the Chamber of Commerce-backed plan to place strict limits on new beauty salons in town. Bigham's article explains:
The salon law was proposed because officials from the city and Chamber of Commerce felt the Village was losing its "balance" between salons and other types of stores.
There are nearly 25 salons in the Village, and more have approached the city seeking to open in vacant storefronts.
The city's proposed ordinance would prohibit any more salons from opening in first-floor, street-level shops. Salons would be permitted to open in alleys and upstairs areas in the Village.
The Planning Commission rejected the proposed ban by a 4-2 vote. One Planning Commissioner was quoted in the Bulletin as thinking this sort of legislation might involve a little too much micro-management:
"I felt it was an unwarranted government intrusion into the local economy," said Commissioner Jeff Hammill, who opposed the ban. "I just felt that, while having a variety of businesses in the Village ... is important, to go about it in this manner I didn't feel was appropriate."
"I feel that history has shown us that centralized planning of the economy doesn't work," Hammill added. "And this felt a lot like that."
Apparently, Planning Commissioner Tom Lamb was correct back in January when he defended the commission as having a bit of an independent streak. Of course, the City Council may not approve of the commission's reasoning.
According to the Bulletin article, the ban can be revisited and the Planning Commission overruled if four of the five councilmembers are in favor of the ban. The article stated that Claremont Mayor Peter Yao and Councilmember Linda Elderkin have already expressed a willingness to impose the ban.
We wonder how that squares with Elderkin's love of process and the general concern about respecting the work of Claremont's commissions? Apparently that respect only comes into play when Elderkin and others want it to. It's just another example of the arbitrary nature of Claremont's way of governing.
Expect Mayor Yao to place the matter on the council's agenda for the March 25th meeting. If it's not then, Mayor-to-be Ellen Taylor will likely push it soon after that.
We're not necessarily fans of beauty salons, and we would much rather have the old Powell's Hardware in where the Urban Renewal Salon took over on Yale Ave. However, who can really dictate what mix of businesses will or won't make it? Isn't it really the consumer who decides?
(Except when it's the City Manager. How many remember Fedorico's, a great and popular eatery that occupied what is now the twee-decorated gap in the buildings on the west side of Yale, between First and Second Streets? Glenn Southard took a wrecking ball to it. The given reason was to provide access to parking. Sure solved the parking problem, didn't it?)
Today, it's beauty salons. What's it going be tomorrow? Wine shops? Bakeries? Ice cream parlors?
As long as we're being arbitrary, how about considering a ban on a few types of Claremont 400-inspired businesses:
- Tax attorneys' offices on Indian Hill Blvd.
We already have one too many of these. Queen Ellen manages her husband's law office at Indian Hill and Second St. - Photography studios on First St.
One too many of these, also. Claremont Chamber of Commerce President Sonja Stump's photo business is at First between Harvard and Yale Aves. - Family law attorneys on Yale Ave.
Two too many of these. Former Claremont Mayors Sandra Baldonado and Paul Held have their practices across from one another on Yale.
Yes, ladies and gents, we think Claremont's economic picture would brighten considerably if the above blighted areas were removed and redeveloped into more constructive businesses, like pet grooming or skateboard shops. A 7-Eleven, even.
Remember, these are the same people who are spending $887,000 over three years to test run a faux trolley shuttle service to span six square blocks downtown at an estimated cost of over $10 per passenger.
A PROVEN TRACK RECORD
The Claremont 400 and their loyal city staffers, Claremont Housing and Redevelopment Manager Brian Desatnik and Community Development Director Tony Witt, certainly have a less-than-stellar record for finding the right mix of businesses and for designing a well-planned commercial environment.
We've written recently about the Claremont Village Expansion's growing pains. Now comes this news via one of our readers:
Subject: Red Line Store in Packing House
The Red Line Store, next door to the Maui Wowi coffee shop, has a "For Lease" sign in its window.
And this:
Buzz,
Looks like one of the Packing House businesses is closing. Redline has a For Lease sign up. I'm attaching a photo I snapped this morning.
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