“Almost no restaurant could open on time or on budget,” admits Ray Chan, the executive officer of the Dept. of Building and Safety to L.A. Downtown News. Certainly those of us who sit on the edge of our seats awaiting the very millisecond that a new place cracks it doors open already know what a pain-in-the-keister it is for restaurants in L.A. to slog through the permitting process. So what’s new?
The pain looks to be lessening under a new program intended to expedite the whole process called Restaurant and Hospitality Express. The system was instituted by the Central City Association and city officials in response to local restaurant and bar owners who were frustrated by the typical timetables. Instead of the checklists of yore that had owners needing to appear at various agencies, the new methods involve case managers who proactively assist the business in opening, and rather than pass the red tape to owners, communicate directly with necessary bodies. Apparently the new system was a boon to First & Hope’s debut and our guess as to what lead to Earl’s Gourmet Grub passing inspections on the first go.
Restaurants to Get Expedited Permitting Process [L.A. Downtown News]
