Mall Construction Rules Tightened

In what one councilman called an effort to keep swap-meet-style malls out of Gardena, the City Council Tuesday night tightened building specifications for leased spaces in covered malls.

The council unanimously approved an ordinance requiring a 600-square-foot minimum for 90% of the leased spaces in covered malls. The legislation also revises standards for food uses, parking and landscaping.

The action is part of a yearlong effort by city officials to evaluate and revise laws for mall development.

Last year the Rikuo Corp. submitted plans to develop a 67,500-square-foot mall at 13999 S. Western Ave. The proposal was approved by the Planning Commission, but the council stopped construction after reviewing how much space the developer planned to give individual businesses.