The City Council created a Citizen-Council Business First Advisory Ad-Hoc Committee this week.
The committee will consist of seven members, including two council members.
The council voted 4-1 to create the committee, with District Two Councilman Ben Wong casting the dissenting vote.
Wong expressed the need for the city to be swift and efficient. He called for fewer than three at-large members. District Four Councilwoman/Mayor Lisa Landau preferred more than three members.
District Five Councilman Nathan Steele said he liked the idea of one person per district.
At length, Landau made a substitute motion to have five at-large members and two council members serve on the board. That motion won the vote.
The committee will meet once a month. The city manager will provide support staff.
During the discussion, there were concerns raised about the Business Committee taking a look at the Main Street Specific Plan.
After the meeting, the Sun asked past Chamber president Daren DeLeon and his wife Kori DeLeon, also a past Chamber president, for their take away from the discussion. They were in the audience during the meeting.
Kori DeLeon texted a reply.
She wrote that she understood the caution around including the Main Street Specific Plan in the work of an economic development committee, but the two were tied together.
“I think the advisory committee should seek out consensus as to what exactly the 3-5 initiatives could/should be to grow Seal beach and the advantages and challenges each initiative would bring to Seal Beach,” Kori DeLeon wrote.
She wrote that she hoped the members at large form subcommittees that contain access to the table in which suggestions are made.
“I love Ben’s guidance that actionable items be done swiftly, I just think an overall vision comes first,” Kori DeLeon wrote.
“Once a unifying vision can be established I think the actionable items are more easily achieved,” Kori DeLeon wrote.
“Overall I’m proud of our City Council to acknowledge there is opportunity to serve our business stakeholders, residential stakeholders, visitors, and potential future business owners in a more efficient way,” Kori DeLeon wrote.
Background
The City Council at the Nov. 8, 2025, Strategic Planning meeting, directed staff to come back with a recomendation to create a business advisory committee
“directed staff to return with a recommendation to establish an ad-hoc advisory committee, according to the staff report by Management Analyst Jennifer Robles.
(For details, see “City to launch Business First initiative” at sunnews.org.)
The committee will develop a Business Concierge Program to help new and prospective businesses, review potential changes to the Main Street Specific Plan, and review the beautification of the Main Street area in both the short-term and the long-term, according to Robles’s report.
During the meeting, City Manager Patrick Gallegos recommended Robles for the concierge role.
“Council discussion at the Strategic Planning Session preliminarily included Mayor Pro Tem Wong and Council Member Kalmick as members of the Committee,” Robles wrote.
“Staff recommends committee members be stakeholders in the Seal Beach community and possess knowledge, education, or experience in economic development, business support, commercial revitalization, or related fields that align with the Committee’s purpose in supporting economic development initiatives within Seal Beach,” Robles wrote.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
The discussion won’t be limited to the Business First Committee members.
“As topics are considered, staff and the Committee will conduct outreach and engage additional stakeholders,” Robles wrote.
“Staff will also provide updates to the City Council to keep them informed of ongoing initiatives and will present recommended items for Council consideration,” Robles wrote.
To apply, email City Clerk Gloria Harper at gharper@sealbeachca.gov or visit https://www.sealbeachca.gov/Portals/0/Documents/Application_Boards-Commissions-Committees.pdf?ver=2017-09-26-010625-730.
