The City Council in Davis, California wants the voters to tell them what to do about a huge, sprawling Target store. On November 7, 2006, voters in Davis will be asked: “Shall the City Council’s approval of Ordinance ____, approving the Second Street Crossing Project, a retail development of approximately 183,000 square feet, including a General Merchandise Store of 137,000 square feet and other retail buildings totaling 46,000 square feet, including a General Plan Amendment (Ordinance ___, Exhibit A, Specific Plan Amendment (Exhibit B), Rezone (Exhibit C), and Development Agreement (Exhibit. D)) be ratified.” In other words, the Council has approved the plan, and submitted it to the voters for ratification. According to the City’s website, “on May 6, 2005 the Target Corporation filed an official land use entitlement application with the City of Davis. This application follows the pre-application process that Target undertook with the community in 2004. The review process for this application will take from ten to twelve months and will include preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Opportunities for public comment, as well as comments on the EIR, will be part of this review process.” The Council has voted to give Target a Conditional Use Permit for an approximately 127,000 s.f. general merchandise store with a 10,000 s.f. garden center, plus several outbuildings, on 19 acres of land. The city also had to amend its General Plan to allow this big box store, and rezone the land. In other words, they are changing all the existing rules to pave the way for Target. But not everyone in the city is pleased with the red carpet being sewn by local officials. Sprawl-Busters received the following email this week about the growing opposition in Davis to the Target project: “Davis is an agricultural university town known for its liberal progressive outlook. Davis has maintained its small town feel despite being on the I-80 corridor between San Francisco and Sacramento, thanks to the foresight of the community and its leaders. In the last few years a development-oriented majority has taken over the city council. They lost a vote to add a huge residential development last year, and they invited Target here two years ago. In response to public outcry, the same council balked at voting the Target in themselves and instead put the matter for general election November 7th. Now we are trying to convince the voters with truth, while Target convinces with money — an uphill battle for us. “Don’t Big Box Davis” is the name of the campaign dedicated to defeating Measure K and keeping our city Big Box free.”
City officials know that Target will spend big to get into Davis. What these retailers lack in terms of local troops, they try to make up in money. On November 7th, the citizens of Davis will find out if their city is for sale to the highest bidder. Many ballot questions have been won by citizens, but under Corporate Democracy, the side with the most money wins. The website for this group is www.dontbigboxdavis.org. The group is looking for money and volunteers to help counter Target’s deep pockets. For local contacts in Davis, contact [email protected]. For earlier stories about Target battles, search Newsflash by “Target.”
