Make Fountain Valley Business Friendly

By Steve Schultz

Business owner Ahmad Shehadeh wrote to me: "Fountain Valley has a big issue in the retail industry. They have a lot of out dated regulations. I didn't even consider looking in Fountain Valley for my business because they have policies that hurt businesses and regulations that don't work for small businesses.

For example: paying $50-100 a month for a small banner on your storefront, when other cities don`t charge anything. If that's the trouble you have to go through for marketing a banner for your store, I don't want to open a new store in my own town. Also in my industry, the only big guy I know that was in FV was Forever 21, and they moved down the street to Huntington Beach."

Our beloved city of Fountain Valley has become a place people drive through instead of a destination for business. More and more companies are leaving Fountain Valley to set up shop in our neighboring towns. Many businesses are afraid to come here all together because of outdated policies. Incumbents have ignored innovative planning recommendations that would attract top-selling companies and increase city revenue.

Instead, current Council Members keep saying keep everything "the way it is always been." Due to this mentality, Fountain Valley is losing revenue and being passed up by neighboring cities. One of the biggest age groups in the retail market, people from ages 16-28, go to Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, or Irvine to do their shopping. We are missing out on a huge revenue source.

Due to this lack of vision, council has made huge cuts to our fire department, police department, and community services to try and make up for all the lost revenue. If we stay on the cutting edge we would not have to make so many cuts to vital city services.

The incumbents' best idea to combat this was to paint a sign reading, "Shop In Fountain Valley" on our water tower and pay for posters at bus stops saying the same thing. Painted signs and wishful thinking are not a business plan for growth. It is time we listen to business leaders and the consumers and provide them what they want. It will be a win-win situation for everybody. The consumers will get a convenient shopping experience and the city will increase its revenues. The old adage of "If you build it they will come" is true. It is time for a new voice, new vision, and new leadership to take Fountain Valley into the new decade.

It is time to let progress show again in our town and make Fountain Valley the best place to live in America.