Staff Recommends Denial of Target

By Jorge Casuso

City staff is recommending that the Planning Commission Wednesday night deny a development permit for the Target department store slated to go in the heart of downtown.

In its report, staff found that the proposed three-story 162,480-square-foot structure with 572 subterranean parking spaces was incompatible with the surrounding area and would add to the growing gridlock and parking crunch.

"The placement of this project, an 'anchor' store that will be a destination use, is not compatible with the adjacent land uses and is not conducive to the viability of the downtown," according to the staff report. " Staff believes that due to its size and single tenant retail use, the proposed project is not compatible with the smaller retail, restaurant, office and residential uses that exist in the area and will likely develop in this area of the downtown.

"Rather than providing a mix of services and businesses of a smaller scale that would complement the existing downtown Third Street Promenade shopping and business district, this project creates a separate shopping destination," according to the report. "In addition, the location of a large retail store in the downtown frame would significantly alter the design concept for the downtown area."

Staff also expressed concerns that although supporters of Target tout the store's affordable prices, the approvals requested would allow any retail use, since the Commission has no authority to approve a specific tenant for the building.

"The Development Review Permit is vested with the land rather than the tenant and would allow another general merchandise store to occupy the proposed building in the future," the staff report said.

"Therefore, Target's specific operational characteristics, including the affordability of the store's merchandise, the type of merchandise the store intends to sell, the level of community involvement and programs unique to this business can not be regulated by the Development Review Permit."

Staff also backed the conclusions of the Environmental Impact Report, which determined that the proposed project would result in several unavoidable adverse impacts to traffic and circulation.

The impacts include "the deterioration of the level of service at seven intersections and a potential deficiency in available parking during peak hours (that) will have a significant effect on the immediate area," according to the report.

For the past year, Target has been drumming up community support for the project, conducting more than 15 community meetings, six of them sponsored by four neighborhood groups (Mid-Cities, Wilshire/Montana, OPCO, and NOMA) and the Emeritus College.

At the meetings, Target representatives touted the company's track record (the store hires local residents and invests some of its profits back into the community) and urged members of the audience to circulate petitions and speak up when the project comes before City boards and commissions.

Supporters contend the Target store will provide a much-needed affordable department store to help fill the gap left by the demise of Hensheys, Penny's and Woolworths in the downtown area.

The applicant also presented the project to the Bayside District Corporation general membership and the Board of Directors, the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and five Chamber subcommittees, the Gray Panthers, and the AARP.