What is it about Walmart?
The Letters to the Editor in today's Star are all about Walmart. People seem to either love or hate the company. Walmart obviously didn't grow into the world's largest corporation without generating controversy. The hard part is that a city government has to treat them just like K-Mart, Nordstrom's, Macy's, Home Depot or Target when it comes to applying our zoning and building standards.
Not that citizens aren't entitled to their opinions about what kind of stores they do or do not want in their community. But it is the marketplace, in the end, that decides that. Yes, some cities do recruit or even subsidize retailers they consider "desirable" for a variety of reasons (income to the city, number of jobs, convenience for residents or just status -- 'we have something you don't!') But no one is talking about recruiting or subsidizing Walmart here. They have a signed lease with the property owner. They are deciding whether to occupy the existing K-Mart store or tear the building down and build a new store.
It is true that the City has undertaken an ambitious and controversial effort to revise its old zoning rules because Walmart was coming to Victoria Avenue. But that's because in 2005, the City Council adopted a new 20 year community vision that specifically discouraged Victoria as a site for "'big box', mega-block, auto-oriented strip development and the traffic patterns it generates" and instead supported "healthy economic investment in walkable blocks, connected to better serve the surrounding neighborhoods." The City moved to spell out the rules to implement those lofty, but not very specific goals, prior to Walmart's application being processed.
Walmart still hasn't applied. But we now have a first draft of the new rules and are taking to the City Council tonight a proposal to finalize those rules. That way, Walmart or any other retailer will have to follow the same rules when it comes to building new stores on Victoria.
Reasonable people can certainly disagree about what those rules should be. And reasonable people can certainly disagree on whether they personally want to see a Walmart store on Victoria Avenue. But I hope all reasonable people can agree that we should have clear and consistent rules about what is and is not allowed to be built on Victoria -- regardless of the company that will occupy the building.
Applying our zonings laws is not a popularity contest. Once we agree on the new rules, they should apply to everyone -- whether people like Walmart or not.
Not that citizens aren't entitled to their opinions about what kind of stores they do or do not want in their community. But it is the marketplace, in the end, that decides that. Yes, some cities do recruit or even subsidize retailers they consider "desirable" for a variety of reasons (income to the city, number of jobs, convenience for residents or just status -- 'we have something you don't!') But no one is talking about recruiting or subsidizing Walmart here. They have a signed lease with the property owner. They are deciding whether to occupy the existing K-Mart store or tear the building down and build a new store.
It is true that the City has undertaken an ambitious and controversial effort to revise its old zoning rules because Walmart was coming to Victoria Avenue. But that's because in 2005, the City Council adopted a new 20 year community vision that specifically discouraged Victoria as a site for "'big box', mega-block, auto-oriented strip development and the traffic patterns it generates" and instead supported "healthy economic investment in walkable blocks, connected to better serve the surrounding neighborhoods." The City moved to spell out the rules to implement those lofty, but not very specific goals, prior to Walmart's application being processed.
Walmart still hasn't applied. But we now have a first draft of the new rules and are taking to the City Council tonight a proposal to finalize those rules. That way, Walmart or any other retailer will have to follow the same rules when it comes to building new stores on Victoria.
Reasonable people can certainly disagree about what those rules should be. And reasonable people can certainly disagree on whether they personally want to see a Walmart store on Victoria Avenue. But I hope all reasonable people can agree that we should have clear and consistent rules about what is and is not allowed to be built on Victoria -- regardless of the company that will occupy the building.
Applying our zonings laws is not a popularity contest. Once we agree on the new rules, they should apply to everyone -- whether people like Walmart or not.
posted by Rick Cole at
4:27 PM
13 Comments:
Kmart has become an eyesore, in your town and mine (Santa Paula). The city can make Walmart take a unique approach and build a building that actually looks nice, the current site is outdated and badly in need of an overhaul. I have been to the super Walmarts on the east coast and they are nice, tell Walmart to make this their flagship store or hit the road. Lately all our city manager wants is to turn our town into Mexico.
Thank you for detailing the history and status of Walmart at the K-Mart site.
That site is desirable. It will be more desirable after
our city details its specific plan for Victoria. As is,
Victoria is rather hodge-podge. Better planning
will help transform it into a very desirable private and government business corridor.
It has the potential to be a magnet, valuable, convenient, and attractive, for high-wage jobs in Ventura County.
In walking thru the Ventura Kmart the other day, I first had the impression that I was inside one of those used clothing stores - except the clothes were new - but it looked the same as a used clothing store. I mean that Kmart is ugly. Apparently, with Mr. Cole, it's anything but Walmart. I think it's pathological with anyone who is into New Urbanism - the word "Walmart", no matter what Walmart says or does, creates a knee jerk reaction.
Why would the residents of Ventura want another "99 cent" type store on Victoria. Ventura deserves a store with higher standards then Wallmart. Go to Oxnard if you need to get Wallmart's rolled back pricing. Ventura needs to raise its standards and be more comparable to Santa Barbara not Oxnard.
What is it about Walmart?
In a word- Traffic.
Between the current traffic load and the really poorly planned traffit light sycronization, a trip from the 101 to Foothill can take 30 minutes in the morning.
How can the city continually ignore the traffic crisis ?
Wal Mart is a net negative in most communities. Driving down wages while putting other stores out of business.
Their goal is NOT to provide for the local community, it is to suck up business from surrounding communities and funnel them into one location.
Why don't you people in planning get that?
The design is nice But I think they can do a LOT better on the design! Bring something unique to the table, something that wow's everyone, something so over the top unique nothing will rival it! There is your benchmark Walmart for getting into our town! We await you design!
A recent piece in the WSJ suggested that Wal Mart is attempting some new conceptual arrangements in response to resistance in Calif. They are testing concepts to go up against Tesco, a German firm with HQ in El Segundo, and are planning local affordable clinics in the mix. I don't know who would find those ideas unworthy of consideration in today's marketplace.
Well, Target is opening it's second Ventura store in Pacific View Mall as well as re-designing its current location on Main St. -Target and Wal-Mart have low prices - people shop at Wal-Mart and Target because they have what they want at an affordable price . It's called Econ 101. If people did not want the products, they wouldn't build the stores.
Now, really, Rick Cole:
Why the double-speak? It is evident what your position, read: deferment, capitulation, bias, etc., is toward the Wal-Mart issue. But, why not have a listen to the voice of your constituents and “Just say no” to Wal-Mart. Oh, and, for your edification, it is we, the people, who in fact run the marketplace, not vice-versa.
WalMart, a great shopping place throughout the world. You can find WalMart coupons, discounts on shipping, beauty products, watches, jewelry and more....!!
I've lived in Ventura my whole life (44 years) and instead of upholding the standards we used to have, we've reverted to lowering them. Since the closure of the Esplanade and the movement of Sears to the mall, in addition to the 99ct stores that are being set up, we've catered to a lot of he lower cost stores. This has brought an influx of a certain clientel. Ventura used to be several steps above Oxnard and in alignment with the goals of Camarillo and TO. Now I feel like we are lowering our standards and this will eventually lower our property prices. I've traveled all over this country and we have the best climate, and the surrounding areas are hard to beat. If someone wants to shop at WalMart because it's cost effective for them, I'm not against it. They can go to the one that is 3 exits down the freeway. We just got rid of KMART, lets not replace it with another equivalent store.
I would only wish all those that are so anti-Wal-Mart could also say they have been in one of the newer "Super Centers", around the country. I would bet most have not. Nothing like the Oxnard Wal-Mart, and I would bet allot of the negativity surrounding a Ventura Wal-Mart, comes from opinions based on people's experiences there, and have not been to another. I have been to many throughout California, and across the country. The quality, service, selection, and attitude out-weighs that of my experiences at all Vons stores in Ventura in the last 35 years, I can remember. My choices at Wal-Mart, in all categories, far exceeding my choices at any other grocery store in town.
Have you ever seen USDA Grade “Choice" beef at Vons? You will at Wal-Mart, at a price that is less than the Grade "Select" beef at Vons, which they have spent millions promoting as something that exceeds the government’s inspection standards, this coming from a butcher at Vons, when I inquired as to why I was having so much trouble getting someone to just tell me the grade, as anyone selling commercial beef in this country is required to sell government inspected beef, and there are quality rating, so a better quality, sometimes more expensive, is recognized All other grocery stores I have experienced, do, other than Vons. You might want to ask your butcher at Vons’s why they do not display it. What you have in Oxnard is what you will get in Ventura, if the restrictions keep the store, "as is". The store is not what the new Wal-Mart stores look like now, not something I would imagine Wal-Mart is putting much attention to anymore, and very proud of. They eliminate them wherever they can be replaced with a new Super Store, but would never close one, that cannot be replaced in a given area, as long as they are profitable. The case in Oxnard is, that Sam’s Club, a full grocery center, shares the parking lot in the same center with the unattractive Wal-Mart. Remember, Wal-Mart owns Sam’s Club, in case anyone has forgotten. I think it is very unfair for anyone to vote, either way on this matter, unless you personally have seen one of the newer Super stores. Remember, they have to do nothing, no actions by the city that can force them not to open the current location. They will. The store will be very busy, and too busy for the old K-Mart location parking lot. Nothing we can do about, as they have already been given the green light, nothing can stop them. We were so used to a struggling K-Mart because we were so delighted at the Trader Joe’s, no one paid any attention to the fact they were going broke with no business. The city says it wants someone to occupy the empty K-Mart store, however it seems what we really want, is a store on the brink of bankruptcy, as K-Mart was, thus limiting traffic flow in and out of a already busy parking lot with the store vacant now, the high volume of traffic to the “Expanded” Trader Joe’s”, and other retailers. Trader Joe's would have been gone from their current location years ago, had there already been a busy Wal-Mart. No expansion. Wal-Mart will open the store "as is" if that is all they get, and the area will be the biggest nightmare Ventura has seen to date. Trader Joe's will not tolerate the gridlock for long, and they will be history from that location, guaranteed. Yes, they will have worked out a new location closer to downtown, as they will be welcomed anywhere in town, the city will make exceptions, and certainly be very accommodating after the mistakes already made in previous location plans. Already working on another location, so we are being told, probably everthing waiting to see how all this unfolds. The grocery clerks get what they want, and the rest of us lose, as Victoria a further Nightmare to drive on.
Yes, Ventura will proudly announce that it has stopped Wal-Mart. Walmart, announcing, For the first time in company history, a city wants had us open one the “old style”, (K-Mart era) stores, rather than insist on a new one. They will open it as it is, very irrelevant to their company profile and move on to more important items, leaving us to wallow in the nightmare on Victoria. Don’t count on them returning our calls in a rush, later on, asking for some help to fix Victoria. They will help, now, the stakes allot higher.
Also remember something about the Grocery Union, and Safeway who is fighting to keep their Monopoly here. The Union is now a “two tiered” membership. And the lower half is bigger in numbers than the upper half. The current starting average wage at Wal-Mart exceeds more than half of the employees of the big-box grocery stores within the union. The other driving force, of course, is Safeway (Vons). My first experience with a petitioner was over a year ago, I believe at a street fair downtown. She had a great location on the corner of Main and California Street. She admitted being paid for her anti-Wal-Mart petitions, however, denied any affiliation with the grocery stores or the grocery union. After some very strong persuasion, I was able to get the name of the "marketing" company she said was paying her. No address, however with some ‘Goggling’. What a coincidence. Their offices were approximately 2 blocks down the street, in Pleasanton, California, from the corporate headquarters of Safeway. But surely coincidental. We allow Vons to monopolize the west side of Ventura, clutching to its Real Estate holdings at the north end of Pacific View Mall for years, knowing zoning in Ventura makes it almost impossible for a competitor to find a location on the west side, or even close. Finally, recently releasing it, only with the strict guarantee from the new owners, that another grocery store similar to Vons (Ralph’s, Albertson’s, etc.) can never exist there. I got this from an employee that works right in the middle of it. Give me a choice in West Ventura, and not having to drive twice a week to Albertson’s across town. I am not necessary pro-Wal-Mart, but I am anti-Monopoly in Vons, and find thye city's "no Comment" on the issue a bit insultive. I do not consider this an exaggeration, when we are talking about a store that provides the people their main provisions, and competition should be welcomed. No dirty tricks.
When voting to kill what you think is Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart will now become the biggest pain in Ventura history, instead of its number one revenue source. I am posting this comment here because I invite the City Manger to correct me where I am wrong. The other at a blog at the local newspaper, where I am being told, everything is wrong. I am told it is full mis-statements. I welcome the City Manager to tell what is not true, and/or will not happen. I will correct anything I am surely mistaken about.
I have already talked to so many that are not looking at the big picture, here. Please go find out!!!
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