San Francisco has been working for a while to hammer out some citywide controls to keep chain businesses, or formula retail, at bay. Today the Planning Commission will hear a presentation on the economic effects of adding fresh red tape, and will vote on a draft ordinance. The new rules would define formula retail as businesses with 19 or more outlets worldwide, require approval for new chains on Market between 6th and 12th streets, make it easier for similar businesses to replace each other (i.e., swapping one bank for another), call for large chains (save grocery stores) to do an economic impact study, and change existing neighborhood commercial districts to allow financial services. Phew, did you catch all that?
· Formula Retail and Large‐Scale Retail Controls [SF Planning]
· Previous coverage of formula retail [Curbed SF]