Belle Newman Hands City Hair Cutters Defeat

At the Claremont City Council meeting two weeks ago, City Planner Belle Newman pushed the Claremont City Council to approve the banning of new personal care establishments at ground-floor locations in the Village. Here is a clip from the March 25, 2008 city council meeting where she gave the staff report. (We found ourselves a little bit distracted during the 3 minute clip)



Following the crazy procedure of general law cities in California, the action two weeks ago by city council, on a 4-0 vote, Taylor recused because of a conflict of interest, was effectively but not formally the last word.

Citizens could be excused for thinking that because it came up Tuesday, April 8, on the consent agenda, there might be some more consideration. There wasn't, but hair salon owner Nancy Lodolo spoke again pleading for council to have some sense. We give you her remarks in full. Which of course got no response from council except for a reiteration by Councilmember Calaycay of his grudging support for this measure (clip is just under 5 minutes).



Ya know what we think? We think this whole thing started a few years ago when Powell's Hardware closed and a beauty salon took over its retail location on Yale Avenue. That got a burr under someone's saddle--a Person of Authority--and what is the result in Claremont? Another regulation.

In the Eye of the Beholder

We received this email last Tuesday about a KCBS-2 news crew in the Claremont village last Tuesday:

My daughter and I noticed the CBS van on First street, and this evening's news ch 2 said Claremont was going to Planning commission to ban salons from the downtown village... interviewed an older couple and an owner... A city official on camera too....

Thanks for all you do to keep us up to date!

The beauty salon story got some coverage from reporter Will Bigham in the Daily Bulletin:

CLAREMONT - There are as many as 25 beauty salons in the Village, and city leaders say enough is enough.

With the blessing of the Chamber of Commerce, city officials have begun crafting a new law that would prohibit new beauty salons from opening in street-level, storefront Village locations.

In the city's downtown Village, there are many types of beauty businesses - hair salons, nail salons, barbers and day spas. On some blocks, there are three or four different salons.

City officials worry that the increasing number of salons is disrupting the balance between retail and service shops in the Village. And more new salons are seeking space in the Village, officials say.

"We have a few vacant spots right now, and we're getting inquiries about additional (salons) coming in," said Tony Witt, director of community development.

The Planning Commission is expected to consider an ordinance to regulate salons at its meeting March 4, said Belle Newman, principal planner.

We kept an eye out for a link to the KCBS news clip and finally found one. Tony Witt got his Warholian 15 minutes with a little face time in an interview with the KCBS reporter.