Malibu Planning Commission recommends against chain-store law

Cox, Castle & Nicholson partner David Waite was mentioned in a Los Angeles Times article about Malibu Planning Commission’s recommendation that the City Council oppose a law that would make it more difficult for additional chain stores to open in the city’s central district.

The Commission voted 4-1 that parts of the proposed ordinance needed more study and specifically, that city staff review and clarify parts of the proposed ordinance such as the definition of “formula retail,” exemptions included and the methodology used to make certain calculations about retail space. 

Under the proposal, the majority of new chain stores in the city's civic center would have had to go to the city's Planning Department for a full review process before they could open.

The lone dissenting vote was cast by Planning Commissioner John Mazza.

Waite, who represents civic center property owners, alleged that “Mazza wrote an email to leadership of a coalition supporting the ordinance that showed intent to “sabotage future commercial development in the city.”