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Home My WebLink About1997-10-28 - AGENDA REPORTS - SB ASSISTANCE (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT City Manager Item presented by: Mtchael Haviland NEW BUSINESS DATE: October 28, 1997 SUBJECT: SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE RECOMMENDATIONS DEPARTMENT: City Manager RECOMMENDED ACTION City Council approve additional funding allocations for the City's 1997-98 Economic Development Services Contract with the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce as follows: $3,000 - Santa Clarita Film Bureau, Trade Show Participation $3,500 - Small Business Training/Education Seminars $3,500 - Small Business Sales/Promotion 10 00 - Total BACKGROUND In the 1997-98 budget process, City Council introduced an additional $10,000 in funding to assist film promotion activities and program to support small business in conjunction with the City's economic services contract with the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce. The Film Bureau requested that $3,000 be set aside for participation in the 1998 Show Biz Expo trade show. A joint City/Chamber of Commerce Small Business Strategic Plan workshop was held on September 16, 1997 to formulate recommendations on how to allocate the remaining $7,000. The workshop participants brain stormed a series of ideas to assist small business which were discussed and debated under a facilitator, Kent Burnes. The workshop recommendations narrowed down to dividing the funds equally between two broad categories: 1) Educational Seminars for small business, and 2) development of a sales/promotion program with ideas like "sales tax free day/week" and "frequent buyer program." Refer to Attachment 'A." Prior to meeting the small business workshop, staff had conducted two separate surveys of retail merchants along Lyons Avenue to assess the level interest of the merchants allocating public funds to assist small businesses. Attachment "B," a questionnaire survey, was delivered to each merchant on Lyons Avenue and was followed up with a second personal contact, but only seven (7) merchants responded. Attachment "C" is a one -question survey that sampled 50 merchants on Lyons Avenue. It's results were not successful in clearly defining a direction that the City III APPROVED Adp-nda ltavff should take to effectively assist the merchants. FISCAL IMPACT These funds where approved in the 1997-98 budget process. No fiscal impact will result from this action. ALTERNATIVE ACTION Other action as determined by Council. ATTACHMENTS Attachment "A" - Small Business Strategic Plan Workshop Attachment "B" - Lyons Avenue Survey No. 1 Attachment "C" - Lyons Avenue Survey No. 2 MKH:ll em dev\ar1089 M ATTACHMENT "A" Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Small Business Strategic Plan September 16; 1997 Chamber Offices Leigh Engdahl, CEO and Mike Haviland, City presiding Meeting was called to order by Leigh Engdahl, CEO. Self introductions were made Present, Leigh Engdahl, Mike Haviland, Jerry Caston, Kathy Carr, Susan Doughman, Gary Haggart, Kent Burnes, Jill Klajic, Gene Ausili, Kim Kurowski, Cheryl Adams, and Jammie Cotton. Goal: This strategic planning session objective is to spend the $10,000 dollars added to the Chamber's contract with the City of Santa Clarita. Out of the total amount, $3,000 will be used for the Film Bureau to enhance their presence at trade shows. The remaining $7,000 is the focus of today's meeting. The participants in today's meeting will be split into two teams, each with the directive of brainstorming ideas, programs and or events that would fall under the economic development scheme of programs in particular to enhance the small business assistance and shop local programs. Each team will be given 15-20 minutes to brainstorm and will present their ideas to the group: Ken Burnes will facilitate the second portion of the program Ideas, The following ideas cam out of the brainstorming sessions; 1. Discounts to customers to attract new customers 2. Small Business Week - includes play $$ with a discount off merchandise city-wide 3. Frequent Buyer Program - cash or credit 4. Sales "tax free" week 5. Seminars - Marketing/Finances/Products/Pricing/Sales Training/Customer Service 6. Tips and Ideas - a merchant/retail newsletter 7. Marketing & Promotion - co-op advertising, awareness, sub -community bus. directory S. Education & Training - (ask and survey what the businesses need and want) 9. Improve relations with managers of shopping center with their tenants 10. Take the Emergency Preparedness on the road - hold at different locations 11. Back to the fifties - Antique Car Show in Canyon Country 12. Noel to Newhall - Christmas in Newhall 13. Summer in Saugus - Tailgate and chili cook -offs. Outcome: Kent Burnes led the session and broke the ideas into three categories: 1. Festival/Promotion - Noel to Newhall - 50's Car Show - Hot Saugus Nights 2. Education: *Retain & expand existing business - Seminars: Nuts & Bolts/Survey the needs of businesses/3 seminars of major significance with expert panel speakers, sales training, secret shopper information - Newsletter: Three issues a year. Specifically for the merchants/retail businesses 3. Sales/Promotion - Informative Co-op advertising Sub -Community Business Directory - Push for $ Sales Tax Free Day/Week - "Taxless Tuesdays," "Stamp out TAX week" Frequent Buyer Program Small Business Week - play money The participants collectively decided not to use any money for the Festival/Promotion area, these events should make enough money to cover expenses. The participants agreed to split the $7,000 evenly between the Education and the Sales/Promotion areas until staff looks into the cost factors involved with each to determine any adjustments. The meeting was adjourned by Leigh Engdahl, CEO LYONS AVENUE BUSINESS SURVEY ■ Name Business ATTACHMENT "B" CITY OF SANTA CLARITA Telephone # ■ Would you be in favor of forming a Lyons Avenue assessment district for the purpose of marketing and promoting Lyons Avenue? Yes ❑ No ❑ ■ Would you be in favor of forming and participating in a Lyons Avenue Merchants association? Yes ❑ No ❑ ■ Please identify the two most important issues facing Lyons Avenue businesses and what your specific recommendations are to addressing those issues. Issue: Recommendation: Issue: Recommendation: ■ Please identify any ideas in which the City can support Lyons Avenue businesses. ■ Would you be willing to participate (financially) in a cooperative advertising/promotion program for Lyons Avenue? Yes ❑ No ❑ ■ How much would you be willing to spend toward a cooperative advertising program annually? (Please check one) $50 - $100 ❑ $100 - $200 ❑ $200 - $400 ❑ $400 - $1,000 ❑ $1,000+ ❑ ■ Are you aware of the City's commercial signage standards for the year 1999? Yes ❑ No ❑ For additional information on the City's 1999 signage standards please contact Mr. Conal McNamara, of the Planning Division, at (805) 255-4330. For additional information or comments regarding this survey please contact Mr. Michael Haviland, Marketing and Economic Development Manager, at (605) 255-4369. Please return completed survey to: Mike Haviland Economic Development Division City of Santa Clarita 23920 Valencia Blvd., Suite 300 Santa Clarita, CA 91355 ATTACHMENT "C" LYONS AVENUE SURVEY RESULTS September 15, 1997 The following are the comments from the business survey taken on September 12, 1997. The geographic boundary included Interstate 5 from the west and Newhall Avenue to the east. At the request of certain businesses, business names are not included in this survey. Question: If the City had approximately $10,000 for Lyons Avenue business advancement, what would you recommend that the money be used for? Summary of Results: NUMBER OF UB ECT 13 Marketing/Promotion 9 Signage 7 On-site beautification/landscaping 4 Streetscape/median improvements 3 Improve parking 3 Facade/center renovation 2 Security I Lighting 1 Paseos 1 Lyons Avenue Web site 1 Tourism Actual Responses: BUSINESS # RESPONSE 1 Marketing 2 Signage, help offset the impact of the sign ordinance 3 On-site beautification 4 Marketing - Shop Local 5 Business retention - marketing 6 Need more time 7 On-site beautification 8 Marketing 9 Marketing 10 Streetscape 11 Marketing 12 On-site beautification 13 Tourism 14 Additional Lighting on-site and off-site 15 On-site beautification 16 Increase signage 17 Safety 18 Marketing 19 Marketing 20 On-site beautification 21 Reduce City functions that impact parking 22 Do not use public funds 23 Take down illegal signs 24 Increase signage for those with minimal exposure 25 Take down illegal signs 26 Signage 27 Marketing 28 Marketing 29 Landscaping 30 Security 31 Lyons Avenue Web Site 32 Streetscape 33 Renovate existing centers 34 Promotions with prominent businesses 35 Renovate existing centers 36 Construct Paseos 37 Keep parking on the streets 38 Marketing to include a map to identify shopping centers 39 Parking off street 40 Marketing 41 Use sign programs that help promote businesses 42 Not enough money 43 Need more time to think 44 Hidden businesses are impacted 45 Marketing 46 Streetscape 47 Build new marquis signs 48 On-site beautification 49 Median improvements 50 Facade renovation .&W'...res