A City Council committee Tuesday recommended passage of a temporary ban on new fast-food restaurants in South Los Angeles.
The moratorium would last for at least a year while city officials devise a permanent policy to lure other restaurants to the area.
"I don't think we can ever legislate what people eat," said Marie Rumsey, a legislative aide to Councilwoman Jan Perry. "We can put policies in place to give people more choices because more choices can mean healthy eating."
The proposal drew fire from a representative of the California Restaurant Assn., who questioned whether a ban is legal.
