The City of Calabasas is considering instituting a business registration program for “brick and mortar” businesses within city limits. According to Tom Bartlett, City Planner, the purpose of the program would be to have a way to connect with those businesses during an emergency such as the Woolsey or Kenneth Fires, an earthquake or other natural disaster.
Registration would come with a fee of $100 the first year and an annual renewal of $60. Bartlett said those were simply “cost recovery fees” and not a money maker for the city. To institute the program would cost the city over $174,000 .
He stressed the benefits of such a program would allow them to share city information, receive business input on city matters and facilitate better city planning.
Bartlett also said this would simply be a business registration and not a business tax. Any tax would have to be voted in by residents.
The Calabasas Chamber of Commerce held a Town Hall Meeting on April 9 to have business owners meet with Bartlett and Associate City Planner Joel Hayes. Concerns from the business community were raised about the addition of yet another fee on only businesses with a fixed location, not on home-based or temporary businesses such as a kiosk or cart.
Particularly vocal was Salon Nuuvo owner Raychel Harrison, who reminded the planners that most businesses already pay an establishment license to Los Angeles County in conjunction with a multitude of other fees, and that this was a terrible time to ask local operations for even more money as many had been shut for a week or more during the Palisades Fire. She also suggested that the city and chamber partner on this endeavor.
The proposed program under Draft Ordinance No. 2025-412 was scheduled to be heard at the City Council meeting on April 23, but after hearing concerns at the town hall, Bartlett said he would continue the hearing to “allow for ample opportunity to work with you (the chamber) on this endeavor.”
