City leaders will discuss Glendora’s economic activity and overall economic health at the Tuesday City Council meeting.
The city continues to see some new business growth, while housing continues to be the biggest form of economic development citywide. The loss of several big name retail chains in the last year will take a serious chunk out of annual sales tax revenue, city staff said.
Larger businesses eyeing Glendora will have a tough time finding real estate to set up shop. The majority of the city’s commercial land has already been built upon, leaving mostly odd-shaped parcels remaining.
Reassembling these odd-shaped parcels, such as those along the Route 66 Specific Plan area, could be a timely and costly endeavor, city staff said.
Despite that, several new businesses will be coming to Glendora, including Chick-Fil-A, Pick Up Stix, Sprouts Farmers Market and Marshalls, each bringing in sizable sales tax revenue.
On the flipside, the city recently lost two large retail chains: Sport Chalet and Ralphs supermarket. The city expects to lose $50,000 annually with Sport Chalet gone and will lose $40,000 annually with Ralphs bidding Glendora adieu, city staff said.
After redevelopment agencies were dissolved in 2012, the city created an Economic Action Plan to support the commercial facet of the city by satisfying existing businesses while attracting new ones. The plan is reviewed every year and is updated as needed, staff said.
The state’s dissolution of redevelopment agencies heavily disabled the ability for cities to attract development projects with financial incentives, leaving each municipality to find new ways to bring business in.
The city created some programs and offerings to retain and attract businesses with RDA’s now defunct. The city has established a variety of business workshops held throughout the year, a website with business information and available resources and a Small Business Assistance Program.
The updated Economic Action Plan will be discussed July 12 at the Glendora City Council meeting at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 116 E. Foothill Blvd.
