Merchants Back Business Improvement District

More than half of the merchants in a commercial district of Canoga Park have signed petitions supporting creation of a Business Improvement District, triggering a formal election on whether to levy assessments for street improvements, officials announced Wednesday.

City Councilwoman Laura Chick, who represents the area, said petitions have been signed by 52% of the 175 merchants in the business district, or BID, centered on Sherman Way. The city clerk will now send out ballots in an election to determine whether an assessment should be levied based on square footage of each property.

Chick said the BID will allow merchants to spruce up the street, pay for additional security, expand sidewalk cleaning and launch an advertising campaign promoting the commercial district, depending on what they want to do.

The BID, which is being developed with a $75,000 city grant, is just one element of a city program to revitalize Canoga Park. The city also recently completed the remodeling of the Madrid Theater.