Council Says No To Target Following Marathon Hearing

Hannah Heineman
Mirror Staff writer

   The Santa Monica City Council rejected a proposed Target store in downtown Santa Monica by a vote of 5 to 2, following a hearing that began Tuesday, February 20, and continued on Thursday, February 22. 
   The proposed three-story 162,280-square-foot Target with 580 subterranean parking spaces was to be located at Fifth Street and Santa Monica Boulevard on what had been a Henshey's department store parking lot. The project had been the subject of an extended community debate, with some people favoring its promise of "affordable shopping" and others opposing it on the grounds that it would attract too much additional traffic to an already congested area.
   When the Santa Monica Planning Commission denied a Development Review Permit for the project, the developer, Pacifica Capital, appealed the decision to the Council.
   Councilman Richard Bloom summed up the views of the five members who voted to reject the appeal when he stated, "This project will have a dramatically negative impact on traffic in the downtown core...People won't want to come downtown."
   Councilman Kevin McKeown said the project would generate "traffic impacts... (that would be) unabsorbable" by any type of traffic mitigation. 
   Ken Genser and Pam O'Connor voted to grant the appeal despite the traffic concerns. Alleging that congestion is endemic to a successful downtown, Genser went on to say that downtown Santa Monica was the logical location for the proposed store because "it would have incredible negative impacts on residential areas."
   Genser also said that he was concerned that the downtown area had become too dependent on "fickle" tourism and entertainment commerce and the Target would help to maintain its viability in the long run. 
   O'Connor praised the innovative urban model the Target designers came up with. Like Genser, she claimed it would "strengthen" rather than hurt small businesses in the area. 
   Though they voted against granting the appeal on the grounds that the proposed store would exacerbate existing traffic problems, Council members Robert Holbrook and Herb Katz both urged Target not to "give up" on a location in Santa Monica because they agreed with many residents who told the Council on Tuesday night that Santa Monica needs more affordable shopping. 
   One such resident was senior Morris Levin who, like other supporters of Target, was concerned that Santa Monica no longer has "affordable stores like Henshey's, Woolworth's, J.C. Penny or Newberry's." He also complained, as other speakers did, that, "the Third Street Promenade...is set up for yuppies, not for the average senior citizen or the individual family that has children."
   Senior George George reminded the Council that the City "does a lot for affordable housing and low income tenants. Where are they supposed to shop? The 99-cent store?"
   Another senior citizen, Ester Bernstein, who lives in a building with 200 seniors, told the Council that many in her building "don't drive, some are in wheelchairs. It would be a godsend for us to be able to come to 5th Street to shop." She then echoed the statements of other senior supporters when she said, "If you want me to vote for you again we want Target."
   Opponents of the project said that while they liked Target's prices and full lines of merchandise, they did not favor the proposed Target because it would make existing traffic and parking problems worse.
   Resident and mother of five, Karena Coatson identified herself as a regular Target shopper, but she expressed the views of many who opposed the project, stating that the project would be "a detriment to the area that it's proposed for." She went on to say that "Fifth Street is not capable of handling the type of traffic" the store would generate.
   Others, including Jessica Frazier, were concerned with the difficulties that would arise with delivery trucks trying to unload merchandise in narrow alleys near residences. Linda Vance who lives near the proposed site was concerned that early morning deliveries would increase noise in the area.
   The Council's decision agreed with the City staff's recommendation that the Council certify the final Environmental Impact Report and deny Target's appeal.