Courtesy Steve Mason / Photodisc / Thinkstock
to contend food for thought desert and make way for good for you food option , South Los Angeles now limit the construction of new fast - food restaurants .
There ’s no shortage of quick - food eatery in South City of Angels . On the contrary : The City Council estimates that there are close to 1,000 dissipated - food restaurants in a 30 - square - mile arena of South L.A. Thanks to the City Council ’s efforts , however , it ’s about to get difficult to find oneself a double cheeseburger and a side of fries in South Los Angeles . A young ordination has been passed to prevent any more quick - food chains from firing up their fryers in the territory .
“ South L.A. is very densely populated , and there is n’t a lot of landed estate left available to be developed , ” explain Jan Perry , councilwoman for the 9th council district , who push for the restrictions . “ We want to address the food for thought - desert issues by insure the land that ’s available is mark by for its highest and respectable use of goods and services , and that admit supermarkets , casual dining restaurants and other goodly nutrient pick . ”
The ordinance is not a full - fledged forbidding on riotous - food restaurants . Existing burger joints , taco stands and sinker shops will be unmoved . unexampled fast intellectual nourishment eatery will be impact instead .
Under the ordinance , which received the consentaneous approval of the Planning and Land Management Committee in December 2010 , new fast - solid food eating house can not be constructed within a 1/2 - mile radius of live fast - solid food restaurants and need to meet rigorous design guidelines for their building app to be processed . The guidelines lend oneself to stand - alone restaurants , not those located in mixed - employment project .
concord to Perry , the City Council wanted to pass the ordination to address the imbalance of food for thought option in the neighborhood and pave the way for new food market stores , farmers ’ marketsandrestaurantsserving healthier transportation to set up shop in South Los Angeles .
“ We want to send a warm subject matter that the community in South L.A. is not just actively interested in a broad raiment of food choices but will support them in word and in deed , ” Perry say .
It seems to be work .
Although the regulation was officially adopted in December , the City Council ordain a temporary moratorium in 2008 . Since then , no newfangled fast - food restaurants have opened in the neighborhood . Instead , South L.A. got its first new market entrepot in more than a ten , including Fresh and Easy , a market that sell local , organic produce .
change are happening at the area farmers ’ market , too . Through the efforts of Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles , a community development arrangement , the Central Avenue Farmers ’ Market became the first market in the region to take Women , Infants and Children ( WIC ) checks , increasing admittance to fresh , local foods for neighborhood house physician .
“ We have already attracted new sit - down restaurants , full - divine service foodstuff stores and healthy food option , and we need to go on to do so in an strong-growing manner . Ultimately , this activity is about supply choices — something that is currently lacking in our community , ” Perry pronounce in a press release .
Perry is also working in partnership with Healthy Eating Active Communities , an formation working to prevent childhood obesity by transform children ’s living environment , to provide makeover of mini - marts and wash room memory board in South Los Angeles . As part of the curriculum , miniskirt - market are encouraged to change their store layout to move junk foods , such as Saratoga chip and chocolate , to the back of the store , opening up quad at the front of the store to incorporate tonic food items like fruits , veggie and milk .
“ As elected officials , the more we can do to sustain economic growth that , as a corollary , helps citizenry make intelligent choice , the better , ” Perry state .
