PC 031912 - Laserfiche WebLink

added that neighborhood residents from the area and people who come to the shopping center kept asking her when they were going to get another grocer in. Ms. Anderson stated that she was disappointed that competitors are battling to try to keep her tenant out. She noted that the new tenant is only going to replace Nob Hill; it will be what Nob Hill was, except that it will have a different name on the front of the store. She indicated that she thinks this appeal is self - serving and a detriment to the people in the area who would be very happy to have this store go in. Ms. Anderson stated that she hopes the Commission will welcome the WalMart Company and allow it to go into this property as soon as possible. She noted that it will be for her family, the good investment that they had thought it was when they bought the property in Pleasanton. Tom Foley, property manager for the shopping center, stated that he has lived in Pleasanton for 35 years and, therefore, has a little inside knowledge of the community. He noted that as property manager at the center, he has gotten to know all the tenants and is really upset that there is a 70- percent vacancy in the shopping center. He added that the tenants' volumes are off by 40 percent, and there are people who have no understanding that what the property owner is trying to do is to replace a tenant with a grocery store for another tenant who has a grocery store. He explained that they are trying to complete the center and not have a 70- percent vacant center sitting in Pleasanton, which positively does no one any good; and without an anchor, it could be 90 percent vacant. Mr. Foley stated that he has always had a policy that this is private property and there's no overnight parking. He added that the center is signed accordingly and indicates that any vehicles parked there overnight would be subject to being towed at the owner's expense. Deborah Herron, Senior Public Affairs Manager for Northern California, stated that she gets to work with many people in a lot of communities in the Bay Area. She indicated that they are pleased to bring a WalMart Neighborhood Market to the Meadows Plaza Shopping Center where they are re -using an existing building to provide a grocery option to the neighborhood, businesses, and other customers. She noted that there will be very few minor sustainability upgrades to the building, making it more efficient as a grocery store. Chair Pentin stated that he would like to give the Appellants another chance to speak. There was no response from the audience. Scott Raty, CEO of the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce, stated that he is present this evening to speak in support of the Zoning Administrator's original approval for a Zoning Certificate to operate a WalMart grocery store in the Meadows Plaza Shopping Center, as well as of the small businesses in Meadows Plaza Shopping Center that PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, March 19, 2012 Page 3 of 15