Our Gray Lady of the Foothills
Sunland Tujunga Home Depot fight featured in the Saturday NYTimes.
Don't forget to skip that ad when you click. Unlike the various Wal-Mart struggles we've had around town, Sunland Tujunga HD has become an anti-big box national bellwether. The anti-big box movement is not a nascent one; the groundwork was laid almots a decade ago, by WTO protests and books like William Greider's One World, Ready or Not. The people in SLTJ are playing on a higher level than local media have been willing to give them credit for.
“It’s not too often that our building permits are revoked,” said a spokeswoman for Home Depot, Kathryn Gallagher. “We’ve been working with the city from the beginning.”
Home Depot has spent more than $2 million over more than two years trying to open the store on the site of a 93,000-square-foot Kmart that closed a few years ago. Ms. Gallagher emphasized that Home Depot was committed to opening it even if the review process took another year or two.
Don't forget to skip that ad when you click. Unlike the various Wal-Mart struggles we've had around town, Sunland Tujunga HD has become an anti-big box national bellwether. The anti-big box movement is not a nascent one; the groundwork was laid almots a decade ago, by WTO protests and books like William Greider's One World, Ready or Not. The people in SLTJ are playing on a higher level than local media have been willing to give them credit for.
Labels: home depot, sunland-tujunga
Posted by Joseph F. Mailander @ 8/11/2007 08:06:00 AM
19 Comments:
David vs. Golliath
See any similarities.
Yes, this is a much larger issue than just S-T. The business student in me knows that Home Depot (and other big boxes) first grew where it was easy, and now, in their expansion attempts, are going for the the infill targets. I know that they are using this real estate lease (they don't own the land, but the building) is using their competitive advantage to gain even more business. Problem is this. Go ahead and Google map 8040 Foothill, Sunland CA. Back out the photo two clicks. There you will see pretty much 90% of Sunland Tujunga. The business district is 90% on that one blvd, Foothill Blvd. Everything else not already filled in are either National forest to the north, or other steep mountainous parkland. Virtually everything else surrounding the large rectangle which was the Kmart are HOMES (and schools and churches). You can see that this is the only lot of such proportions in the region, and a massive presence in the community. The problem with infill is that this is trying to put a big orange square peg into a round hole. I don't know about you, but I do not want my town defined by this industrial presence when there are much better choices. What makes this unique is that the big box (Kmart) which drove out all other general retail has now become an essential part of the region, only to be replaced by something that will not really earn any more tax money for the city, but will transfer it from other existing hardware businesses, which we have plenty of, and whom I'm sure generate tax revenue too. It does not make sense to me on an economic level, a city planning level, or a personal level.
How could city council do this and no one say anything about it?
Trashy politics, City Council overspends, you overpay for it
DAILY NEWS
REMEMBER last year, when the Los Angeles City Council jacked up trash fees, and promised to do it again in 2008?
Well, council members got a little greedy. They couldn't stand the thought of having to wait until January to get more of your money. So on Tuesday, they voted - unanimously - to accelerate the rate hike.
That means garbage fees, which were $11 just a year ago, will go up - from $22 to $26 - starting in September, four months early.
The official explanation for the hike is that it will help speed up the hiring of more cops. The truth, however, is a different matter.
The day after the council voted for the accelerated rate hike, City Controller Laura Chick delivered a report blasting it for spending the city's fund recklessly. Chick says the council's spendthrift ways have left the city short, which explains why the council is so desperate to come up with new cash.
According to Chick, city leaders went on a spending spree at the close of the last fiscal year, which ended June 30. As a result, the city's emergency fund is now $11 million short, and its reserve fund is $90 million short. The balance of the city's contingency fund, now down to $8 million, is millions below where Chick believes it should be.
There are three main reasons for the shortfalls:
The council advanced $25 million toward the purchase of the Figueroa Plaza office building (which will cost some $100 million higher than necessary, due to council bungling). It let city departments hang on to money they didn't spend, shorting the reserve fund by $34 million. And it made some $60 million in unexpected long-term commitments.
Add those up, and you get the current fiscal mess.
Chick says she plans to replenish these funds by withholding future revenues from city departments. That, naturally, has council members in a panic. They want to spend their money, and they want to spend it now.
Thus the urgency to come up with more cash. So council members did what they do every time they're in a financial fix - stick it to the people of Los Angeles. And wouldn't you know, they went after their favorite revenue stream, the trash fee.
Never mind inexpensive trash service has long been the one perk of living in this high-tax city. Or that "fees" are supposed to be payments for a service rendered, not ways to pad the budget. Council members no more care about their compact with the public or honest accounting than they care for minding the city's finances.
All they care is that they can get your money whenever they want it. And that, they do.
Thank you, 8:52a, for putting the true issue to succinctly. The authors on this blog never mention the Foothill Corridor Specific Plan because there is a need to condemn this community over "property rights." Well, what about community rights and property rights of the surrounding homes and businesses who have been here for generations. Home Depot has plenty of exposure at nearby locations (Pacoima, San Fernando/Sylmar etc.) and allow S-T to maintain its pocket of tranquility. Go away, Home Depot. This community says that there is a better use for the 11-acre parcel surrounded by homes and school(s). Home Depot is a terrorist to this community and their business is wrong for this locationl. Community activists worked long and hard on the Foothill Corridor Specific Plan which was approved by the City of Los Angeles. Those activists got there first and so far, Building and Safety and Planning Dept have acknowledged that Home Depot "piecemealed" their project just so they could get in the door. Lying by omission should not be rewarded. Go away, Home Depot. You are not wanted or needed here -- go throw your money and hired guns at somebody else.
9:42 that's a good point about the Foothill Corridor Specific Plan. It reminds me years ago when there was such a plan for south Westwood, calling for pedestrian-friendly stuff, etc., and the City turned around and permitted the bridge across Westwood to the Westside Pavilion---rendering Westwood and Pico one of the most pedestrian-hostile places in the City, even going so far as to bypass the street engagement of the structure. I asked a deputy at the time if it was typical to build things that were completely hostile to Community Plans, and with some rare candor (that we should see more of from City Hall now) she laughed said, "You see the way the City looks, don't you?"
Interesting, Joseph!
If you are correct that this is a national bellwether case, this would explain the extreme lengths that Home Depot has gone to in it's attempts to
discredit the No Home Depot Campaign.
I'll wager this story will be popping up on 60 Minutes sooner than later.
“It’s not too often dat our building permits iz revoked,” said uh spokeswoman fo' Home Depot, Kathryn Gallagher. “We’ve been WORKING wiff da city from da beginning.”
Home Depot has spent mo' than $2 million over mo' than two years trying ta open da swapmeet on da site o' uh 93,000-square-foot Kmart dat closed uh few years ago. Ms. Gallagher emphasized dat Home Depot wuz committed ta opening it even if da review process took another year or two.
Don't forget ta skip dat ad when ya click. Unlike da various Wal-Mart struggles we've had around hood, Sunland Tujunga HD has become an anti-big bawx national bellwether. The anti-big bawx movement iz not uh nascent one; da groundwork wuz laid almots uh decade ago, by WTO protests an' books like William Greider'sOne World, Ready or Not. The peeps in SLTJ iz playing on uh higher level than local media gots been willing ta give dem credit fo'.
I think it's probably right: this is more about being against big-box stores than a "victory" at the local level (which is very temporary, after the EIR H D will be back where it was). This is a national trend: in a number of eastern states I've visited, I've seen signs saying "No Wal-mart, or Costco," whatever. On the other hand, even people from ritzy homes in Bel Air drive to the Valley to the Costco -- just NIMBY.
I thought this was the Sam Yorty Republican website. Since when did Republicans change their position of being pro-development, pro-growth and anti-union?
Many of those against Wal-mart and Home Depot are pro-union. This web site often attacks the unions and says it is Republican. Republicans support free market principles and businesses like Home Depot and Wal-Mart. I guess this website is against everything on both sides of the political aisle ... like a lot of lawyers I know at O'Melveney & Meyers. In case you didn't know, OMM is the law firm who taught Rocky Delgadillo his ethics.
What's with all the anti-development crap? Downtown looks like a third world country. I don't really want to hang out on Skid Row. What's the problem with improving the city of LA with some new development? Like the Mayor Sam slogan says on the website ... "this city is the envy of the world" . Have you been downtown?
Republicans are equally as concerned that their neighborhoods are not devastated by unwelcome and inappropriate development.
Pro development does not mean ALL
development.
The No Home Depot group is made up
of democrats, independents, republicans and greens, plus a bunch of people that have no political leanings at all, and are simply concerned with enhancing and improving Sunland-Tujunga.
3:32 pm: you are obviously referring to the supposed old days of this blog which I never knew as a newbie, but you must be aware that since one zuma dogg came along with his ubiquitous, long and rambling posts, you give him too much credit for comparing him to the ethically-challenged OMM and Rocky. This blog has no politics one way or the other and criticizes everything because the homeless hobo who has taken it over dislikes all authority and power and people with money, but also hates liberals and has no positive value system at all. And oh, he thinks he's a marketing genius, and a rapper like Snoop Dogg.
I heard that a movie/book deal is in the works for the No Home Depot story.
LAPD blues - May Day melee will cost city millions.
THERE iz those, particularly da most vocal defenders o' da Los Angeles Police Department, who argue dat da May Day melee has been blown out o' proportion. Try telling dat ta da plaintiffs' attorneys. To date, some 77 complaints gots been filed against da city fo' da LAPD'sover-exuberance dat day. These, an' many mo', will likely become full-blown lawsuits. They'll end up costing untold millions in settlements, penalties, court costs an' lawyers fees - money dat won't be available fo' vital city services. Every one o' us will pay da price fo' da LAPD's May 1 failure, which iz why none o' us can afford ta take dem lightly. And it's why Chief William Bratton has admitted dat da department messed up, an' why he'sinitiated changes in staff responsibility an' officer training.
The biggest messup was giving those illegals such carte blanche to roam the city, with the cops in tow, all to demand full rights for illegals.
The problems only started at the tail end, after a whole day of seemingly smooth protests and cop patrol. If they'd been dispersed after a few hours at one place there would have been no problems, no liabilities, and not another loss of morale for LAPD.
joe b wrote the book it's called no mexicans please
Why doesn't the no2hd crowd pay zumadogg to represent them? He knows all the tony robbins hand tricks and does something with prego sauce. He could be the difference. Besides, zumadogg needs the money. Maybe he could park in S/T as he writes his prose for the meeting.
Dakota Communications and Home Depot have taken the low road against the Sunland-Tujunga community .
How much lower can they go? Any company or election campaign that hires Dakota Communications should be educated that hiring them will put them in the same despicable catagory of the "liers club."
Dakota Communitcations and Home Depot are greedy and unethical. and certainly not trustworthy. Those persons that condone their behavior are going to be locked out of the pearly gates!Honesty and integrity will prevail
over all.
Home Depot do the right thing -complete an EIR for your "Project"nas required by the "Foothill Corridor Specific Plan." It's a city ordinance!
I commented on 8/11 8:52 and am against Home Depot coming to S-T. I concur with 8/13 10:57 about the low road H-D has taken. It has been totally enlightening to see how Dakota Communications (in their words) "engage public debate and inject it with our unique perspective". In other words, they are good at lying. The business student in me totally sees why some good well-meaning people might sincerely see Home Depot as a good thing, even though I think their reasoning is flawed. The problem is that now these two companies have twisted everything so much that you can't even address the concerns of the pro-Home Depot members of the S-T community without it being used against you. They are not perfect, but no wonder elected officials make the decisions they do if they have mercenaries like Dakota Communications working on both sides of the fence and tossing mud to hide what true public sentiment is in this situation. Rights come with some level of responsibility, and HD has decided that they are above taking any responsibility for their actions. Based upon their actions I do not trust ANYTHING they may say or report in the rest of this process and that we should question EVERYTHING, and get some real solid independent review of anything they present to the city.
HOME DEPOT Should Listen to the City Planner's
They were told months ago that they needed to file for an EIR, and specific plan applications. Home Depot has a corporate policy to avoid public review. What are they trying to avoid?? Traffic study, better design and tree's in the parking lot. If Home Depot loses, this is a victor for the people.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home