Santa Monica

Santa Monica Votes to Ban Big Chain Restaurants From Promenade

Santa Monica City Council officials voted unanimously Tuesday night to pass an emergency ordinance that will ban fast food restaurants on the 3rd Street Promenade, but the ban would extend to any restaurant or cafe that has over 100 locations in the United States.

Effectively, the vote banned all big chain restaurants from adding locations on Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade.

Originally, the emergency ordinance was expected to focus on restaurants and cafes that have more than 150 locations, but the council opted to reduce that number to 100, which excludes more business than the original emergency ordinance.

While the ban applies to restaurants like Chipotle, Cheesecake Factory and California Pizza Kitchen that easily have more than 100 locations in the U.S., existing restaurants on the promenade will not be asked to move.

The emergency ordinance takes effect immediately for 60 days while the city develops a permanent ordinance.

There had previously been a fast food ban on the promenade, but the ban was left out when a new community development plan was put in place a few years ago.

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