From: Norvell, Bernie
To: Lemos, June
Subject: Fwd: Grocery Outlet
Date: Friday, October 7, 2022 2:53:01 PM
Pc for tuesday
B.
Bernie Norvell
Mayor City of Fort Bragg
Begin forwarded message:
From: City of Fort Bragg <[email protected]>
Date: October 7, 2022 at 5:38:49 PM EDT
To: "Norvell, Bernie" <[email protected]>
Subject: Grocery Outlet
Reply-To: Gary McCray <[email protected]>
Message submitted from the <Fort Bragg, CA> website.
Site Visitor Name: Gary McCray
Site Visitor Email: [email protected]
Hi Mr. Mayor,
I have been following the Grocery Outlet debacle for a long time and I would just like you to know my opinion (shared by many other Fort Bragg Residents) before the upcoming discussion of approval (again).
Although I can understand peoples objections to wanting to shop at Grocery Outlet for various reasons, the reality is that a Grocery Outlet here would provide much needed relief from the "Tourist" prices the local residents have to pay for food.
Safeway here costs considerably more than Willits and I was told by the Safeway Manager that is because we are a "Tourist Destination".
And Harvest Market has even higher prices and with IGA often worse quality than Safeway also their produce is not properly recycled - mostly by placing the oldest produce on top of the new.
The main opponent to the Grocery Outlet has been "Fort Bragg Local Business matters" and it is clearly just a shill for the existing food markets in Fort Bragg simply trying to avoid having to deal with a legitimate competitor.
Please stop pandering to "Fort Bragg Local Business Matters" and actually vote to benefit the people of Fort Bragg versus this unwarranted attack on legitimate competition.
Please allow the Grocery Outlet to come to Fort Bragg for the benefit of almost everybody (the more reasonable pricing may actually force the existing business's into providing competitive pricing themselves).
We may be a tourist destination, but I don't think the people who live here should be forced to pay for that privilege.
From: Mary Rose Kaczorowski
To: Lemos, June
Cc: Albin-Smith, Tess; Peters, Lindy; Norvell, Bernie; Rafanan, Marcia; Morsell-Haye, Jessica; cdd; Dan Gjerde; Cervenka, Neil
Subject: Re: Public Comments attached 7A. 22-479-Oct. 11 2022 Public Hearing, Receive Report and Public Comment on Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Proposed Grocery Outlet Grocery Outlet Draft EIR Date: Monday, October 10, 2022 1:03:01 PM
Remember that The City of Fort Bragg already denied a franchise/business owner operated type of Auto Parts store that would undercut existing auto parts stores in Ft. Bragg!
My Best Regards,
Mary Rose Kaczorowski
https://muckrack.com/mary-rose-kaczorowski
Chronicles from the Redwood Coast: https://redwoodmary.substack.com/ Connect with me on LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/mrk2008
How to pronounce my name? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SIk7LKiJTY Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King said our lives begin to end the day we become silent on things that matter.
“I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.”
-Ruth Bader Ginsburg arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court, quoting abolitionist Sarah Grimké.
On Mon, Oct 10, 2022 at 12:57 PM Mary Rose Kaczorowski <[email protected]> wrote:
Please find attached my comments for the Oct. 11 2022 Fort Bragg City Council Meeting
Agenda Item 7A
Public Hearing, Receive Report and Public Comment on Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Proposed Grocery Outlet Grocery Outlet Draft EIR My Best Regards,
Mary Rose Kaczorowski
https://muckrack.com/mary-rose-kaczorowski
Chronicles from the Redwood Coast: https://redwoodmary.substack.com/ Connect with me on LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/mrk2008
How to pronounce my name? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SIk7LKiJTY Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King said our lives begin to end the day we become silent
Grocery Outlet Impacts by Mary Rose Kaczorowski,
Comments for October Fort Bragg City Council Meeting October 11, 2022 Agenda Item 7A. 22-479
Public Hearing, Receive Report and Public Comment on Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Proposed Grocery Outlet Fort Bragg is a small town with a small land footprint that cannot accommodate every development whim. When one enters Fort Bragg, do we wish to keep moving toward stripping away our scenic beauty for the model of an unpleasant and ugly type of 101 Eureka Corridor model that everyone just hates and tries to get past quickly? Look at the fate of Big Box stores in wealthy areas like Mountain View California that went belly up! Food waste? Several local grocery stores every week take their overstock, imperfections, or looming expiration date items to our local food bank. Local farms also supply our food bank.
Food waste is not an issue here.
The site of and parcels encompassing the proposed Grocery Outlet is designated as Highway Visitor Commercial
https://www.city.fortbragg.com/home/showpublisheddocument/710/637710004853630000 and is nearby a Special Review And Runoff Sensitive Area https://www.city.fortbragg.com/home/showpublisheddocument/722/637710004904870000 How does this Grocery Outlet fall into our Blue Economy? What about Blue Zones targets? There is a relationship between food prices and obesity. A key point is that obesity tends to be higher when food is cheaper (adjusted for average income), but an important nuance is the quality of the food. The price per calorie in the US tends to favor low-quality processed food.
“Our commitment to sustainability should be integrated into our everyday decisionmaking processes at City Council, within City departments, and throughout the community. We should all identify specific measures to work on each year. The implementation of sustainability measures, such as energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, localization of goods, and alternative transportation methods, should become part of the normal evaluative criteria in work plans, budgets, construction contracts, and proposals.”- City of Ft. Bragg Draft 2012 Climate Action Plan
https://www.city.fortbragg.com/home/showpublisheddocument/380/6377099899957 53660
Traffics, Safety and Pollution
This project will add to the already high traffic in the area and generate hundreds of new vehicle and delivery truck trips per day along S. Main Street, S. Franklin St., N. Harbor Drive, River Drive, Cypress Street and South Street. These streets are also the entryways to the busy: medical offices, gas stations, auto repair shops, Parents and Friends buildings, Mendocino Coast Pharmacy, Adventist Health Mendocino Coast Hospital’s Emergency Room & several hospital facilities, Mendocino Coast Clinics, Mendocino County Social Services, Mendocino Superior Court Ten Mile Branch, Fort Bragg Police Station, Mendocino Sports Club, various dental and physical therapy offices, other medical offices along the 510 Cypress St. Medical complex and the yet to be opened Crisis Respite Center (517 Cypress Street) .
Then there are the ongoing trips by Fed Ex, UPS, PG&E, AT&T, Comcast. Verizon, Public Works, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, yard and landscape services, Emergency Ambulance, Sherriff and Police vehicles, Waste transfer vehicles, and vehicles that go through Lyme Timber Logging Gates.
Let’s not forget the COVID Vaccine testing and vaccine delivery vehicle line ups.
We will have more bottle necks to these areas and to the entry down to the Noyo Harbor businesses, restaurants and shops.
It’s hard enough already, to try to get down to Noyo Harbor or navigate the traffic around South Main Street, South Street, S. Franklin St. and Cypress Street. Vehicle Accidents and near misses with pedestrians and other vehicles are common.
This is already one of the highest traffic areas compared to the rest of the City of Ft. Bragg other than along Highway1/Main Street. Walking and biking will become more hazardous.
Then there is the six existing apartment complexes and townhouses along Cypress St. and Kempe Way, plus the 69-unit DANCO subdivision (near completion). Emissions of pollutants from motor vehicles, are injurious to people's health. Noise from vehicles is also harmful, damaging hearing and causing psychological ill-health.
Do know that associated big rig delivery trucks (park and even stay overnight at the motels in this neighborhood) are already impacting this area. Burning gasoline and diesel fuel creates harmful byproducts like nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, benzene, and formaldehyde. In addition, vehicles emit carbon dioxide, the most common greenhouse gas.
Consider how much more traffic will be added to the mix and the road wear is considerable if we add hundreds of cars going in and out of this Grocery Outlet at these busy intersections every day.
The proposed Grocery Outlet also raises concerns about stormwater runoff, water supply, public safety, solid waste impacts, crime and more alcohol sales. Note this neighborhood area of town has the highest traffic flow in the city outside of Highway 1.
Do we REALLY need another grocery store competing with our local stores and adding more traffic? Grocery Outlet is a publicly traded company. From an economic perspective, there is much data to suggest that corporate owned big box chain stores --even if a franchise or with independent owners owning the business (the operators do not own the building/infrastructure) may not be the best value for our community in terms of how they undercut all the community-based and independently owned markets already in place such as:
Harvest Market, (B Corporation)
Purity Market,
Safeway (Union shop)
Down Home Foods,
B&G Grocery,
Roundman's Smoke House,
Columbi’s Market
El Yucca,
Nello’s Market and Deli,
La Mexicana Market,
Fort Bragg Farmer’s Market,
Corners of the Mouth,
Harvest at Mendosa’s.
The Dollar Store
CVS
Cucina Verona's Mercado
Rite Aide
gas station convenience stores
Then we have the impact of traffic in shipping goods over Highway 20 which also will be increased and combined with FedEx, UPS, gas and propane trucks, logging & gravel and other export/import deliveries, plus other service vehicles (Cal Fire, Sheriff , Caltrans, etc.) tourist & commuter traffic. This all definitely has and continues to have a negative impact on roads, garbage along the roadside, impact on the environment in addition to more traffic.
Then there is the Mendocino Coast 50-mile area radius centering from Ft. Bragg impact on this area’s carrying capacity. This impacts residents, businesses and the distances shoppers are willing to travel and to support any new business development in Fort Bragg. However, thresholds are only based on population and do not take into consideration other crucial factors such as income, nearby competition, gas prices, traffic, etc. Will Ft. Bragg inventory how impacts of such a store have on the existing stores that offer groceries, empty existing storefronts and businesses for comparative and competitive analysis? What about
Climate Change Impacts
Pollution run off from vehicles
No parking lot at this site (or street parking) will accommodate cars, pickup trucks, big rig delivery trucks, small delivery trucks, RV's, etc.
Grocery Outlet can have supply chain challenges
We already have a labor availability issue
Will Grocery Outlet have a gross profit margin stability Examples of failures in this area: Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Burger King, etc. Remember the local copy shop wars when a franchise came in and undercut existing copy shops and that franchise caused them to close and then the franchise went out of business?
CLIMATE IMPACTS
Vehicles generate more Greenhouse Gas Emissions than all other sources combined. Vehicles are also responsible for the majority of air pollutants. Waste is trucked to the destinations outside of our area and contribute to Greenhouse Gas Emissions and a high-Volume Grocery Outlet will increase the sale of excess packaging and plastic bags.
Who gets the Advantage?
We all know that corporate run formula and franchise stores are set up to attain advantage and the maximization of profit for the owners and stockholders who do not reside in the small rural towns where these businesses are situated.
Regarding Discount Formula Stores
“Although dollar stores sometimes fill a need in places that lack basic retail services, there’s growing evidence that these stores are not merely a byproduct of economic distress. They’re a cause of it,” write ILSR co-authors Marie Donahue and Stacey Mitchell. “In small towns and urban neighborhoods alike, dollar stores are leading full-service grocery stores to close. And their strategy of saturating communities with multiple outlets is making it impossible for new grocers and other local businesses to take root and grow.” (Source:
https://www.fastcompany.com/90278384/why-dollar-stores-are-bad-business-for-theneighborhoods-they-open-in) Mikael Blaisdell
810 S. Franklin St.
Fort Bragg, CA 95437
(707) 961-6282
[email protected]
Fort Bragg Planning Commission
Community Development
416 North Franklin St
Fort Bragg, CA 95437
Subject: Opposition to Draft EIR for Grocery Outlet Project to be located in the 800 block of South Franklin St.
This letter is intended to document my opposition to acceptance of the draft EIR The key points of my objection are that:
A) such a use would generate entirely inappropriate levels of traffic around the intersection of Highway 1 and North Harbor Drive, creating delays and increasing the dangers of the section of North Harbor Drive from SH 1 to South Franklin St, and B) the proposed use would also significantly impact traffic on SH 1 at the intersection with South St.
C) the suggested traffic expectations are arbitrary and likely understated. Assumptions are being made without supporting data
In the Initial Study and Environmental Checklist for Best Development Grocery Outlet. Dated December 2020, and prepared by LACO Associates of Ukiah, CA (LACO Project # 8135.14, on
weekday trips and 2,842 daily trips on a Saturday. Roughly 6 percent (165 trips) of the Saturday traffic occurs in the midday peak hour and 9 percent (148 trips) of the weekday trips occur during the weekday p.m. peak hour.” The authors of the study claimed that this data represents a “less than significant impact” without substantiating that outlandish claim in any way.
In the current draft EIR, the claimed volume estimate is repeated. “"On a daily basis, a 16,000 sf Grocery Outlet Store could generate 1,709 weekday daily trips, with 2,842 trips on Saturday.
After discounting for “passby trips”, the proposed project may generate 1,094 new daily trips (½ inbound and ½ outbound) on a weekday and 1,818 on a Saturday.” RE: draft EIR for proposed Grocery Outlet Page 1 of 3
The City goes on to claim “"As indicated, based on the layout of the site and these assumptions we anticipate that the Franklin Street driveway will be the primary access to the site, and 70% of the project’s total traffic in and out is shown to use that driveway.” The assumptions being made about the level of traffic and where the impacts will occur are not substantiated in the draft EIR, and appear to me to be significantly flawed. I live in the neighborhood, and regularly drive through the roads and intersections in the area and also observe the traffic flows.
In my view, the most significantly impacted road will be northbound SH 1/Main St on the approach to the intersection with North Harbor Drive, and immediately after that intersection as it continues east to intersect with S. Franklin St. By the City’s estimate, the opening of a Grocery Outlet store in the proposed location will create an increase of 855 trips each weekday and 904 on Saturday coming from the south that will turn right onto North Harbor Drive — and then attempt to make an immediate left turn into the Grocery Outlet parking lot. In the process, these drivers will have to contend with entering and exiting cars from a gas station, a pizza restaurant, and two hotels, as well as oncoming traffic westbound on North Harbor Drive. The result will be significant delays at best, stretching back to cause slowdowns on northbound SH 1.
The EIR’s claim that 70% of the Grocery Outlet traffic will use the South Franklin street entrance is unsupported by their own estimates and is therefore clearly suspect.
The impact of the significantly increased traffic from northbound State Highway 1 turning onto North Harbor Drive at this point to access the Grocery Outlet store alone is sufficient reason to deny the application. But there is unfortunately even more dangers to be considered.
Coming Southbound along Main St. / State Highway 1, the closest two potential access points for the proposed Grocery Outlet store are South Street and North Harbor Drive — neither of which have any kind of traffic control aids (stoplights, etc.) other than a shared turn lane to ensure the making of safe left turns across two lanes of oncoming traffic moving at 40 miles per hour or more.
Prospective Grocery Outlet customers trying to turn left into South St. from Highway 1 will be competing with traffic coming -out- of South Street trying to turn left onto Highway 1.
Incoming traffic will also be contending with two lanes of oncoming northbound traffic on Highway 1. (If the proposed permit is granted, and the Grocery Outlet goes into operation at the site, the projected traffic delay at the corner of Main St. / Highway 1 and North Harbor Drive will undoubtedly result in frustrated drivers rapidly accelerating past the jam, which will further complicate and increase the hazards for left-turners at the South St. intersection.
While some percentage of Grocery Outlet bound drivers may elect to take advantage of the stoplight at Cypress St. to turn off of SH 1, there is no evidence to suggest that this will be in any way a significant portion of the total traffic to the store.
RE: draft EIR for proposed Grocery Outlet Page 2 of 3
In the permit application and appeals process, we heard many people speak of the need for access to low cost groceries as the Grocery Outlet will provide. That there is a desire for a Grocery Outlet store in Fort Bragg is obvious. That it will be popular is likely. I have no objections to the store per se, it is only the proposed location and its probable effects on traffic on the surrounding streets that is of substantial concern.
Once the store is built, if as I maintain, the assumptions being made about traffic patterns are inaccurate — it will be too late to do anything about the situation. The only possible remediation would be in the form of a traffic light at SH 1 and North harbor Drive, which would have its own impact upon the traffic flow.
I therefore recommend that permission not be given to Grocery Outlet to build and occupy the proposed location.
Sincerely,
Mikael Blaisdell
Fort Bragg, CA
10/11/2022
RE: draft EIR for proposed Grocery Outlet Page 3 of 3