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Commission lets Savvy Beauty Academy offer supervised reduced‑fee or donation‑based services to the public
Summary
The Planning Commission approved an amendment to a 2018 special use permit allowing Savvy Beauty Academy to change hours to weekdays 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and to provide supervised public services on a reduced‑fee or donation basis to support student training.
The Inglewood Planning Commission on May 6 approved modifications to the operating conditions for Savvy Beauty Academy, a cosmetology school in the downtown historic core, allowing limited public services under supervision and a revision to the school's standard hours.
Planner Angel Leon Martell told the commission the applicant asked to amend conditions two and three of the 2018 resolution to set standard operating hours to Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., and to allow senior‑level students to provide beauty and aesthetic services to members of the public on a reduced‑fee or donation basis. Martell said all such services must occur in an instructional setting with a qualified instructor present.
Rebecca Silva, the school’s director, said the change is essential for students’ real‑world training and the institution’s finances. "Without the public our students are falling in education," Silva said, describing students' need to work on varied hair types and personalities rather than practice only on mannequins. Silva said the school does not seek to charge full salon price but aims to offer lower‑cost options, particularly for seniors and community members.
Commissioners sought clarification about whether services were donation‑only or fee‑based; Silva and staff answered that the school anticipates a suggested donation or reduced fee to cover supplies and that the school will follow California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology rules for any charges. Commissioners recommended outreach to senior centers, festivals and high‑school career days to ensure client flow for student training.
Public testimony included recent students and graduates who described the importance of hands‑on experience. With no written opposition, the commission voted to affirm categorical exemption EA‑CE‑2026‑043 and approve the resolution amending SUP2018‑018 (filed as SUP26‑00002). The staff noted that fees and donations must comply with state board rules and that the amendment continues to prohibit full‑service, commercial salon operations at the site outside the instructional context.
The commission explained that appeals must be filed within 20 days under the municipal code.
