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Doing Business in Santa Monica

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Economic & Demographic Profile

Santa Monica "At a Glance"

Economic Development Division

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 Doing Business in Santa Monica

This section is intended to be a source of information for businesses looking to come to Santa Monica, as well as for businesses already here. If you can't find what you need below,  please don't hesitate to contact the City of Santa Monica Economic Development team via e-mail (econdevel@smgov.net) or call us at (310) 458-8906.

 

NEWS & EVENTS FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES...
 


City of Santa Monica Economic Development Department Update--Click here to find out more about activities the City is undertaking to support local businesses.

 

New!  Welcome to Santa Monica, a packet of useful information for new and existing businesses.  This draft has been produced by the Santa Monica Alliance, a partnership of the City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, for purposes of business recruitment and retention in Santa Monica.  We will be updating and finalizing it over the next few months but wanted to share it with you now!  Feedback is welcomed.  Click here to download.

The Mobile Economy: Apps, Entertainment, Marketing and the Consumer--Wednesday, March 3rd from 5:30 - 8 PM at Santa Monica Library, MLK Auditorium, 601 Santa Monica Blvd.  Please join us for the fourth installment of Santa Monica College and The City of Santa Monica’s Professional Seminar Series on “The Mobile Economy.” Our panel of experts will discuss successful business models and product development strategies for the mobile platform.  Speakers include  Thomas Ellsworth, CEO, GoTV Networks; Elise Neel, VP Marketing, comScore; Diane Reichenberger, COO, giiv;  Rana Sobhany, Co-Founder, Medialets; and Rahul Sonnad, CEO/ Founder,  Geodelic.  FREE but registration required due to limited space.  http://www.eventbrite.com/contact-organizer?eid=526930062

 

Quickbooks II--March 20th from 9am to 1pm at Santa Monica Small Business Development Center (SM Airport).  This workshop for small businesses and entrepreneurs will cover accounting techniques, purchase orders, inventory, reports and bank account reconciliations using Quickbooks.  Pre-registration required.  For more info and to register, http://smcsbdc.org/ or call (310) 434-3566.

Call For Artists #1: Art Carts Available for Rent on the Third Street Promenade.  For more information, visit our Space + Opportunities section of this site (click here).

 Call For Artists #2--2010 Santa Monica Pier Twilight Series.  The Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corporation is inviting talented professional, amateur and student designers to submit their vision for the 26th annual Twilight Dance Series.  The winning artist will receive $750 and a VIP package for the summer, plus their design will become a collector's item and keepsake from the 26 yr old series.  Entries due on March 12th.  Contest rules, design specs and entry forms available at www.santamonicapier.org or call (310) 458-8786.

 

 

  Business Assistance for Santa Monica Retailers!  The Santa Monica Small Business Development Center offers FREE confidential business counseling, Quick Community Express Loans,

   low cost business-growing workshops, lease modification assistance, customized strategic planning and customized business reports to assist with short and long-term finance planning. Click here to download the flyer.  For more info, www.smc.edu/sbdc or contact (310) 434-3566.

 


Buy Local Logo

 

Think Santa Monica first!  Many of the everyday items, services and specialty products that you may head out of town for are right here at home - in Santa Monica!  And your purchases are doing more good than you think - buying local supports a sustainable Santa Monica, nurtures the community and keeps dollars in Santa Monica's economy.  To find a local business, click here.  For more information on Buy Local Santa Monica, visit www.buylocalsantamonica.com.

 

 Santa Monica Businesses Voted "The Best Places to Work in L.A!"  Congratulations to the following Santa Monica companies, who were recently featured in the LA Business Journal as "Best Places to Work in LA"--Bingham McCutchen LLP, Bryan Cave LLP, Business.com, M David Paul & Associates, Morley Builders, The Phelps Group and Perkins Coie LLP.  The award ceremony took place on August 5, 2009 at the Biltmore.

 

 

Reducing the Cost of Business.  Southern California Edison (SCE) has a variety of programs and free services with cash incentives to help local businesses reduce their operating costs and manage their energy use.  Beneficiaries have included hotels, supermarkets and refrigerated warehouses, food service companies, telecommunication and cable firms, office buildings and many other types of businesses.   For more info, visit:  www.sce.com/RebatesandSavings/LargeBusiness/

FREE customer service training for local businesses....

"I am Santa Monica" is an interactive workshop designed to encourage and empower Santa Monica businesses and their employees to become better informed about Santa Monica and all it has to offer.  It's a great opportunity to promote your business, provide free training to your employees and to connect with the community where you work.  To learn more, click here
 

SANTA MONICA BUSINESS INFORMATION,

ADVICE AND SUPPORT

Business Assistance

  Santa Monica Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce

Finding a Property in Santa Monica--a list of commercial brokers

Opening a Business in Santa Monica (Flow Chart) -
Use this chart to familiarize yourself with the City's regulatory process BEFORE you sign that lease!

Doing Business in Santa Monica Made Easy"--Useful information for opening a business in Santa Monica, including an overview of planning, zoning, permits, licenses and sustainability.  Material presented at a recent "Doing Business" workshop held by City in collaboration with Santa Monica's Small Business Development Center. 

Useful Contacts for Local Businesses and the WEC Small Business Toolkit
Business Climate - Economics & Demographics
 

Economic and Demographic Profile
 

For further information or statistics on Santa Monica, click here to view the City of Santa Monica 2009-2010  Community Profile.  If you require additional information, contact us at  EconDevel@smgov.net or call (310) 458-8906.

Business Fees, Licenses and Special Districts
  Business Classifications--For business classifications and fee categories, see Section VI in the Municipal Code.
  Business License Information--Contact information: (310) 458-8745 or email:  license@smgov.net
 

If you have a business in certain retail areas of the City, you may benefit from being associated with a business improvement district.  Likewise, if you own property within certain assessment areas, or have a triple net lease, you might need to pay assessments.  The category "Taxes" includes Transient Occupancy Taxes, Sales Taxes, and Utility Taxes.  See above for more info on Business License taxes. You might be subject to other taxes as well; it's best to consult your tax advisor, accountant, or industry's professional organizations to determine which will apply.

Assessment Districts:
   Downtown Mall Assessment District and Parking Developer Fee

Business Improvement Districts or Areas:
   Downtown Santa Monica Property Based Assessment District (PBAD)
  
Bayside & Downtown Mall Operations & Maintenance District 
  
Central Business District
  
Main Street Business Improvement Area

  Main Street Lighting and Sidewalk Cleaning Assessment Area

   Montana Avenue Business Improvement Area 
  
Pico Boulevard Business Improvement District
  
Taxes

Environmental & Public Works
 

Your source for information relating to building permits and City services such as Engineering and Public Works, Solid Waste Management, Street Maintenance, Utilities, and Green Buildings Design and Construction Guidelines.

  Construction Approval Process A helpful guide if you need to do construction. 

Business Going Green: certification, free consulting, grants and awards programs.

Environmental, Recycling and Sustainable City Programs

 

Environmental Health and Food Safety Guidelines.  The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health conducts retail and wholesale food inspections for the City of Santa Monica.  This site  contains a variety of environmental health information for businesses, including food safety guidelines, food inspection results and pest control tips.

Planning Information
 

Signage Requirements--To determine what kind and size of signage you may use for your business,

we recommend that you review the Sign Code section of the Municipal code.

 

Zoning Information--To find out what zoning applies to your business location see the Zoning District Map and GIS Information.  For further details on the City's Zoning Regulations And Districts click here.

For further information, please contact the Planning Department at (310) 458-8341

Transportation Management Office Division
  The City of Santa Monica and local businesses are committed to working together to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion in Santa Monica.  Ordinance 1604 was designed to help reduce commute trips made by employees. It applies to businesses with 10 or more employees.  This link also provides advice on ride sharing, parking permits and traffic management plans.  For more information, contact (310) 458-8291. 

This page was last modified on 03/02/2010

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