By Bryce Hoffman
Senior Writer

A motion made by the Los Altos City Council on November 12 initiates an ordinance limiting non-retail shops from opening stores in downtown. The vote was 4-1, with former Mayor Kris Casto, who left council December 2, dissenting.

Non-retail shops are food services that sell takeout. Other non-retail shops provide personal services. These include salons, dry cleaners and travel agencies. By curbing non-retail, the council hopes to encourage more small retail businesses in downtown, which have been disappearing for years because of the spread of larger retail like Wal-Mart and Target, a slow economy and the introduction of internet shopping.

“I love shopping in small, owner-operated shops—and I think many Los Altans feel this way.… My vision is a downtown full of owner-operated businesses that provide desirable and needed products and services that draw shoppers who live or work within 10-20 miles,” Mayor John Moss said.

Specifically, the motion is targeted at stopping former retail shops from converting to non-retail stores, such as the conversion of A Place For Flowers to Quizno’s on Main Street, which was rejected at an October 28 council meeting by a 4-1 vote with Casto dissenting.

Other considerations include adding a clause for non-retail shops that might require them to convert back to retail by a given date.

“Shoppers must feel confident that they can find what they want somewhere in the shopping district. To give shoppers this confidence, we have to keep a certain minimum number of good retail stores within a close proximity,” Council Member King Lear said.

The new ordinance will have to go through the planning commission and then back to the city council, which may take several months. It will not take effect until sometime next year.

Mayor Moss is also advocating the formation of a committee of business owners, property owners, residents and city representatives to develop a new vision for downtown and the plan to achieve it.