San Jose City Council committee strikes down healthy eating resolution

The San Jose City Council Rules Committee voted 2-1 against a proposed Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) City Resolution on Wednesday.

The resolution primarily focused on encouraging city planners to develop opportunities for physical activity in the design and construction of future land uses, as well as general efforts to provide access to healthy food. However, one provision singled out quickservice restaurants and instructed city planners to “Map existing fast food outlets and draft an ordinance that will place limits on fast food outlets around schools and in neighborhoods with over-concentrations of unhealthy food outlets.”

Though the California Restaurant Association (CRA) agrees with efforts to improve the childhood obesity problem facing the country, as well as cities working to improve access to public areas intended for physical activity, the CRA worked to ensure the resolution was altered to remove the provision targeting restaurants, or opposed altogether.

The resolution was introduced by Councilman Kansen Chu. Councilmen Pierluigi Oliverio and Pete Constant voted against the resolution, so it will not advance for consideration by the full council.