“The major policy recommendation from the report was that the city require an economic impact study [for large formula businesses].”

I have a recurring fantasy, in which each city council member must read an article like this one and provide a cogent summary in real English words without resorting to memes or crayons.

We all know who'd be up to the task, who'd skip class (redevelopment meetings, anyone?) and which household's dogs would be fed the homework along with the usual kibbles and bits.

But hey, what's another Wal-Mart among non-Democrat Democrats and exurban-envying Republicans?

How San Francisco is Dealing With Chains, by Stacy Mitchell (Institute for Local Self-Reliance)

No other large American city has done as much to check the spread of chain stores as San Francisco. Under a city law enacted in 2006, a “formula” retail store or restaurant cannot open in any of the city’s neighborhood commercial districts unless it undergoes a public hearing and obtains special approval from the Planning Commission.

The restrictions have helped San Francisco maintain a relatively vibrant independent retail sector. The city has twice as many independent bookstores per capita as New York. It is home to some 80 local hardware stores. It also boasts more than 900 independent retailers selling fresh food, including more than 50 locally owned grocery stores of at least 5,000 square feet.

But San Francisco’s policy has major gaps ...