Covina council approves fee reductions and $75,000 to boost small-business hiring

The Covina City Council unanimously approved an Economic Development Initiative (EDI 20-61) that reduces selected planning fees to encourage small-business activity and allocates additional funding to a job-creation program.

Planning Manager Mercy Lugo described staff recommendations to reduce the preliminary review application fee from $6,200 to $2,000, lower fees for administrative conditional-use permits for recurring open-air pop-up marketplaces, and direct staff to amend the zoning code and fee schedule accordingly. The proposal also recommended appropriating $75,000 in general-fund money to the City of Covina Business Assistance Job Creation Program, which offers forgivable loans of up to $25,000 to qualifying employers that create and retain full-time positions for at least one year.

Council members asked for examples of pop-up events (staff cited farmers markets, flea markets and privately organized pop-ups at Shoppers Lane and a commercial center near Roland and 2nd), whether the program would be limited to Covina businesses, and how the 40-days-in-6-months limit would be enforced. Staff said ACUPs would be reviewed internally and coordinated with the health and fire departments; recurring events on private property would be allowed under a reduced Category 3 ACUP at a lower fee.

Councilmember Allen moved to adopt the staff recommendations and the related resolutions to modify the fee schedule and amend the fiscal-year budget; Councilmember Cortez seconded. The council approved the measures unanimously by roll call.

Staff noted that the city had previously created the Business Assistance Job Creation Program in December 2023 with $250,000 in general-fund allocations and that all available funds had been awarded or were pending, creating a waiting list for additional qualified applicants.