Press Release | City of San Diego

SAN DIEGO – The City of San Diego is reaching out to small businesses to better understand key business issues and concerns by holding an annual public outreach meeting of the City’s Small Business Advisory board on Friday, February 7^th. Businesses are encouraged to address concerns that affect their ability to do business, from fees and regulations to permits and availability of assistance programs. Feedback from small businesses at this annual event may help to refine City policies and programs.

The public outreach meeting will be held from 8:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. at the San Diego State University Building, City Heights Community Development Corporation located at 4283 El Cajon Boulevard. Many of the issues brought before the board will be addressed throughout the next year in the Board’s work plan and at regular monthly board meetings.

In addition to public testimony from small businesses, the outreach meeting will feature several presentations on redevelopment activities in City Heights, information on a diverse emerging vendor opportunities program and a welcome from Third District Councilmember Toni Atkins.

“Small business has always been the backbone of our older, urban communities, and are an essential component to the City’s economic prosperity through good times and bad,” Atkins said. “We hope the meeting provides a useful forum for small business owners to voice concerns about zoning and permitting, as well as demonstrates the City’s pro-business programs and initiatives.”

Advocating regulatory relief and policy reform are key roles of the Small Business Advisory Board. The board works with the City to reduce regulations, streamline the permit process and reduce taxes for small businesses. Recent successes for the small business community, facilitated by the Board, include the establishment of relaxed sign code enforcement during major construction projects and the development of an equitable ordinance to deal with the City’s staggering number of false alarms.

Board members appointed by the Mayor include leaders in the business community and representatives of key small business organizations, such as the U.S. Small Business Administration and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The City’s Community and Economic Development Department provides staff support to the Board through its Office of Small Business.

For more information, contact the City of San Diego’s Community and Economic Development Department at (619) 685-1390 or visit the City’s Web site at www.sandiego.gov.

With an emphasis on the City’s urban core neighborhoods and low and moderate income residents, the Community and Economic Development Department strives to improve the quality of life and ensure a healthy economy in San Diego through job development, business development, neighborhood revitalization, public improvements, redevelopment, social services, and revenue enhancement.