To help restaurants attract customers during the March Madness college basketball tournament, the emergency order lifts several restrictions on establishments
The city of Santa Monica has temporarily suspended several restaurant regulations to aid local businesses still grappling with economic hardships stemming from the January wildfires.
Interim City Manager Elaine Polachek, acting as the city’s director of emergency services, signed a second supplement to the Emergency Order originally issued by the City Council on Jan. 10 in response to the Palisades Fire. While Santa Monica did not experience physical fire damage, city officials say businesses continue to struggle with reduced economic activity, inflation, and other financial challenges.
“While we didn’t see physical fire damage in Santa Monica, our small businesses and local restaurants continue to feel the impacts of decreased economic activity, on top of inflation and other economic realities,” said Community Development Director Arminé Chaparyan. “As a city, we are committed to continuing to ease the burden as much as possible and ensure our local economy can recover and grow.”
To help restaurants attract customers during the March Madness college basketball tournament, the emergency order lifts several restrictions on establishments already licensed to serve alcohol. Suspended regulations include limits on hours of operation and alcohol service, bans on alcohol in disposable containers, restrictions on revenue percentages from alcohol sales, and limitations on television screens, screen size, and entertainment activities such as pool tables, video games, and darts. Additionally, prohibitions on bottle service, pub crawl events, and requirements that food be served with alcohol purchases have been temporarily lifted. The city has also suspended requirements that outdoor dining areas be used primarily for seated meal service, as well as restrictions on the number of indoor and outdoor seats and regulations requiring meal service with entertainment.
These relaxed measures will remain in effect until April 30 unless extended by the director of emergency services.
Beyond restaurant relief, the emergency order includes provisions allowing hotels to request an extension on Transient Occupancy Tax payments, permitting Santa Monica schools to expand enrollment to accommodate displaced Palisades students, and reinstating enforcement of the city’s short-term rental prohibitions, effective April 19.
The emergency order follows significant economic disruptions caused by the Palisades Fire, which, along with other regional fires, led to mass evacuations, hazardous air quality, and severe business losses. While Santa Monica was spared from direct fire damage, local restaurants reported a drop in sales between 10% and 20% in January, with businesses near the beach and Santa Monica Pier experiencing revenue declines of up to 40%.
