Kalifornia, as usual, leads the way. It's didn't take them long to do a modified extortion a la S&W. If other companies don't stay away, they deserve to be hosed.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/local/news/17safeway_a1empirea.html
Safeway plan must include housing
First time city makes requirement of commercial project
May. 17, 2000
By MIKE McCOY
Press Democrat Staff Writer
For the first time, Santa Rosa city leaders are demanding a developer include housing as part of a commercial project.
The City Council on Tuesday rejected Safeway's request for a 60-day continuance and instead told the grocery giant that if it wants to build a new shopping center on the site of the former Yardbirds and its adjacent current store on Mendocino Avenue, housing will have to be part of it.
"I believe it's the first time we have ever required housing," Community Development Director Wayne Goldberg said after the decision.
The 5-1 vote, which backed a similar demand by the Planning Commission in March, is part of an increasing call for so-called "mixed-use" developments throughout Sonoma County that combine housing as part of commercial projects.
The idea is to generate much-needed affordable housing above storefronts while providing housing close to jobs and services to reduce the use of cars.
The City Council's action clearly displeased Safeway representatives who had requested the continuance, during which they said they would analyze whether building housing on the commercial site would make economic sense.
Safeway had been working on a plan to raze the entire 8.1-acre site for more than a year and replace its 32,000-square-foot, 50-year-old Safeway with a 55,000-square-foot store that would be built on the old Yardbirds' site. Safeway also proposed building another 40,000 square feet of retail space on the balance of the property.
But more importantly, Safeway had secured the support of its residential neighbors after company officials agreed to several concessions to make it palatable to them.
Several of those neighbors joined Safeway in its criticism of city officials Tuesday, particularly targeting planning commissioners who in October declined to require Safeway to include housing as part of the project during its initial review of the company's plans.
Instead, the commission made its demand in March after neighborhood residents had signed on to Safeway's proposal.
"Safeway is not my best friend, but they busted their butts to appease our neighborhood," said Mervyn Avenue resident Steve Peter. "You're changing your mind at the eleventh hour. That's not fair to Safeway and that's not fair to us."
Several commissioners and council members, however, said they told Safeway early in the process that some housing would be expected, warnings they said company officials ignored.
Ann Zimmer, who also lives within a few blocks of Safeway's project, supported the city's effort.
"Santa Rosa needs more housing, more affordable housing and this is an opportunity," she said.
Citing Forbes magazine, which just recently named Santa Rosa as the third best city in the nation to do business, Zimmer said the city's last-minute demand on Safeway "is not going to stop other companies from coming in."
While council members and some audience members spoke mostly of seeing affordable housing being built on the Safeway site, Mayor Janet Condron said even though that's the goal of such mixed-use projects, it is not guaranteed. It will be up to Safeway -- if it proceeds -- what type of housing it is willing to build, she said.
Council member Sharon Wright supported the 60-day continuance and was the lone vote against the housing requirement. Council member Mike Runyan abstained because he owns stock in Safeway.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/local/news/17safeway_a1empirea.html
Safeway plan must include housing
First time city makes requirement of commercial project
May. 17, 2000
By MIKE McCOY
Press Democrat Staff Writer
For the first time, Santa Rosa city leaders are demanding a developer include housing as part of a commercial project.
The City Council on Tuesday rejected Safeway's request for a 60-day continuance and instead told the grocery giant that if it wants to build a new shopping center on the site of the former Yardbirds and its adjacent current store on Mendocino Avenue, housing will have to be part of it.
"I believe it's the first time we have ever required housing," Community Development Director Wayne Goldberg said after the decision.
The 5-1 vote, which backed a similar demand by the Planning Commission in March, is part of an increasing call for so-called "mixed-use" developments throughout Sonoma County that combine housing as part of commercial projects.
The idea is to generate much-needed affordable housing above storefronts while providing housing close to jobs and services to reduce the use of cars.
The City Council's action clearly displeased Safeway representatives who had requested the continuance, during which they said they would analyze whether building housing on the commercial site would make economic sense.
Safeway had been working on a plan to raze the entire 8.1-acre site for more than a year and replace its 32,000-square-foot, 50-year-old Safeway with a 55,000-square-foot store that would be built on the old Yardbirds' site. Safeway also proposed building another 40,000 square feet of retail space on the balance of the property.
But more importantly, Safeway had secured the support of its residential neighbors after company officials agreed to several concessions to make it palatable to them.
Several of those neighbors joined Safeway in its criticism of city officials Tuesday, particularly targeting planning commissioners who in October declined to require Safeway to include housing as part of the project during its initial review of the company's plans.
Instead, the commission made its demand in March after neighborhood residents had signed on to Safeway's proposal.
"Safeway is not my best friend, but they busted their butts to appease our neighborhood," said Mervyn Avenue resident Steve Peter. "You're changing your mind at the eleventh hour. That's not fair to Safeway and that's not fair to us."
Several commissioners and council members, however, said they told Safeway early in the process that some housing would be expected, warnings they said company officials ignored.
Ann Zimmer, who also lives within a few blocks of Safeway's project, supported the city's effort.
"Santa Rosa needs more housing, more affordable housing and this is an opportunity," she said.
Citing Forbes magazine, which just recently named Santa Rosa as the third best city in the nation to do business, Zimmer said the city's last-minute demand on Safeway "is not going to stop other companies from coming in."
While council members and some audience members spoke mostly of seeing affordable housing being built on the Safeway site, Mayor Janet Condron said even though that's the goal of such mixed-use projects, it is not guaranteed. It will be up to Safeway -- if it proceeds -- what type of housing it is willing to build, she said.
Council member Sharon Wright supported the 60-day continuance and was the lone vote against the housing requirement. Council member Mike Runyan abstained because he owns stock in Safeway.
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) We seldom worked much and usually got fed! Super people!