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 wish a specific piece of information and
don't find it here, please don't hesitate to
e-mail
us or call us at (310) 458-8906.
NEWS & EVENTS
FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES...
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City of Santa Monica
Economic Development
Department Update--Click
here
to find out more about
activities the City is
undertaking to support local
businesses.
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.
 Legal:
Corporate Formation +
Financing Workshop--Tuesday,
November 17th from 7-9:45pm
at SMC Bundy
Campus, 3171 S. Bundy Drive.
This
workshop will give you a
basic understanding of the
benefits and risks of
becoming a Corporation, LLP
or LLC, Sole Proprietorship
or Partnership. Cost:
$25. A program of the
Santa Monica Small Business
Development Center. To
register and for mo2re info,
visit
http://www.smc.edu/sbdc/sbdc/workshops.html.
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.
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Congratulations
to the 2009 Sustainable Quality Awards winners!
Sustainable
Quality Awards recognize businesses and organizations for
excellence in stewardship of the environment, social
responsibility, and economic development.
Bryan
Cave, Saint John's Health Center, Taxi! Taxi! and Whole
Foods Market; Blair Graphics, Santa Monica
College and Studio of Environmental Architecture;
Business.com and Pluralistic School #1; Community
Corporation of Santa Monica and Blair Graphics. For
more information on the SQA, click
here.
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 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
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SANTA MONICA BUSINESS INFORMATION,
ADVICE AND SUPPORT
Business
Assistance |
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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 |
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Business
Climate - Economics & Demographics |
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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. |
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Business
Fees, Licenses and Special Districts |
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Business Classifications--For business classifications and fee
categories, see Section VI in the
Municipal Code. |
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Business License Information--Contact information: (310) 458-8745 or email:
license@smgov.net |
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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
Montana Avenue Business Improvement Area
Pico Boulevard Business Improvement District
Taxes |
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Environmental & Public
Works |
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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.
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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. |
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Planning Information |
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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. Please be
aware that you may not be able to use
existing sign fixtures from a previous
business, as all signs must be in compliance
with the Sign Code by April, 2000.
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 |
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Transportation Management Office Division |
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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.
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