Trader
Joe’s Sponsors To Present at the July Meeting
Representatives of Trader Joe’s, the national grocery retailer will attend CAPA’s meeting on July 8 to present their proposal for a new store at Sanchez and 15th Streets near Market, and to discuss with CAPA members the merits, problems and alternatives for the site. As described here last month, Trader Joe’s has plans to construct a new building with about 13,000 square feet of store and stock room, topped with a two level parking garage for 48 cars.
At last month’s meeting, many members expressed opposition
to the proposal for many reasons. The greatest concern was that the store would draw shoppers and their cars
from a wide area of the city, causing congestion that would impact the
neighborhood for many blocks. While some have argued that the solution would be
to provide more parking, Jeremy Nelson and Tom
Radulovich of Transportation for Livable Communities presented a number of proven
options for a grocery store with little or no parking. Providing free delivery
service with minimum purchase, a City Car Share pod, and curb space for taxis
are proven measures that could greatly reduce the need for shoppers to drive to
the store. A model for the store could be
Bi-Rite Market, a no-parking project under construction in Glen Park.
The Glen Park project also
includes community uses and housing above the store. The Trader Joe’s proposal
trades those uses for excessive parking, but including housing in infill
project on Market Street is a primary goal of Better Neighborhoods plan for
this area. New housing is crucial to improving the pedestrian environment on
Market Street and helping to create a sufficient supply of housing in the city.
Other members raised concerns that
the continued influx of national chain stores, into the Castro (including
Trader Joe’s with over 200 stores) will diminish the unique character of the
Castro and take business from locally owned small merchants who have built
successful businesses after years in the neighborhood. There are a number of
merchants who will face stiff new competition from the Trader Joe’s including
small grocers and wine sellers. One proposed long-term remedy would be to
strengthen the restrictions on “formula” retail that was passed earlier this
year, possibly or requiring a conditional use permit. banning such businesses.
This will set a precedent for the future development of the Market Street corridor, so we all need to take our part in the process. We hope to se you at the July 8 meeting to share your concerns about the project with the project sponsors.
Housing Bond Supporters Seeks CAPA Endorsement
Kate White of the Housing Action Coalition will address the CAPA meeting on July 8 about the affordable housing bond measure on the November 2004 ballot. The SFHAC and other supporters of the bond are seeking CAPA’s endorsement of the measure which will provide $200 million funding for construction and purchase of affordable housing for homeless people, low and moderate income residents.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE GENERAL MEETING
Thursday, June 10, 2004
Cafe Flore Conditional Use Permit:. Matthew Pausa,
manager of the café, described the
café’s reasons for seeking conditional use
and change of use permits for 24 hour operation (the café needs it to extend
closing time to 1am, and would be open 24 hours only twice a year) live
performance (for one or two acoustic performers), and for a full liquor license
(to serve martinis after 5pm and full
bar service after 9pm. Neighbors on Beaver St. complained that noise from
inebriated patrons has been a problem; the cafe would take steps to control
this.
A
motion was passed to support Cafe Flore's permit application if the Cafe and
its neighbors can arrive at a consensus on hours of operation, timing of liquor
sales, when to bring in sidewalk tables, and number of musicians.
Safeway Perimeter Stewardship Process. Peter
Cohen of Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Assn. (DTNA) discussed the stewardship
process to address disruptive activities around the Safeway site, including the
recycling center, the needle exchange site, the DeCaux toilet, food providers.
The goal of is not to be confrontational (e.g., summoning the police) but to
better deal with activities there that cannot be pushed out. The approach is to identify as stakeholders
all the people and interests involved:
Safeway, Community Recycling, DeCaux, needle exchange, food providers,
bikers, city agencies, and neighborhood groups. CAPA will join DTNA in the
Perimeter Process with Larry Maxwell as liaison.
Trader Joe's Proposal: The proposed store at 15th St. and Sanchez. Peter Cohen of DTNA: Small stores in the Duboce triangle oppose
the store. To prepare for the meeting on July 8 we should establish a position;
the project should consistent with the Octavia Blvd. Better Neighborhoods plan.
CAPA
believes Trader Joe's suburban model is opposed to the transit-, bicycle- and
pedestrian-friendly Castro that we have advocated. There should be housing and/or non-profit offices instead of
parking on the upper floors. Any
parking should be underground, or they should reduce the size of the
store. We need to contact City Planning
and neighborhood groups. We need to write the company while they are
still "testing the waters."
AGENDA FOR THE GENERAL MEETING
Thursday, July 8, 2004, 7:30 p.m.
1. Call to Order/Introductions 7:30 p.m.
2. Approval of Agenda and previous meeting’s Minutes
3. Safeway Perimeter Planning: Larry Maxwell
4. Housing Bond Endorsement: Kate White
5. Trader Joe’s Proposal: Doug Yokomizu
6. Finance Report and Membership Update
7. New Business
8.
Adjournment
9:00 p.m.
584 Castro Street,
PMB 169
San Francisco, CA
94114-2588
Tel.(415) 522-1221
Fax.(415) 522-1221
E-mail:
CAPA@home4us.org
Get updates
online! Send your email address to:
curtin_joe@hotmail.com
CAPA GENERAL MEETING
Thurs., July 8
, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Castro Meeting
Room, 501 Castro Street at 18th.
Second Floor,
above the Bank of America
See the full
agenda inside
