New Pico Business District Elects First Board

By Jorge Casuso

Pico business owners kicked off the city's first Business Improvement District in 17 years by electing a board of directors at their first official meeting Wednesday night.

The stagnant commercial strip will join its wealthier counterparts -- the Third Street Promenade, Main Street and Montana Avenue -- as it strives to drum up business and deal with a thorny parking problem, which was exacerbated by the recent designation of several preferential parking zones.

"This is very much hands on," said Jim Stebinger, president of the Pico Improvement Association, which led the struggle to form the business district. "This is community involvement. This is shaping the community you live and work in.

"It's going to have an impact, not a small impact, but a growing impact," Stebinger said. "It took a long time to put the four wheels on and take the breaks off."

Stebinger was one of 12 members of a slate that was swept into office. Pam Stollings, owner of the Unurban Coffee house, received the most votes with 33, followed by Stebinger with 31. A write-in candidate, Andrew Adams, also was added to the board.

Forty-six of the eligible 420 business license holders in the newly designated district cast ballots. In addition to the business owners, the board will pick two representatives from the neighborhood, and the Pico Neighborhood Association will choose a third resident.