Petaluma has approximately the same amount of stores as Napa, actually a few more, so no comparison there. And I can't image our outlet mall ever being as big as Vacaville which is a little over twice the amount of stores as Petaluma and Napa. Was that in the original plan?

And PTOWNKIDSTAXI, your last post was right on TARGET!

Well, the debate goes on.

I was simply pointing out that nobody really acknowledged the fact there are other retail options in Petaluma. I feel you can meet your retail shopping needs at stores currently located inside Petaluma. (Big box items aside.)

I’m also well aware of the City failing to follow through with Regency on the Kenilworth site. Just like the Rainier overpass has failed to appear after numerous City Council elections. Regency got an awful deal, just like those citizens who still gaze out over the empty space that should be the Rainier overpass.

The Factory stores, well another empty promise.

I don’t have much confidence in a system that has consistently failed when it comes to intelligent development; whether it is new retail or basic infrastructure improvements.

Petaluma needs better roads and infrastructure to support any additional growth regardless if it’s Wal-Mart, Target, or 200 new homes at the end of Petaluma Blvd South, which is still a giant empty lot (Sound familiar?) I don’t want to end up as another overcrowded city with a crumbling foundation.

Target is just another retail store; it will not solve the poor management of a City. We need a City team with an intelligent approach that finishes everything it starts.

good attempt at deflection OB1. you like to point out that "nobody really acknowledged the fact"........all the while you will not acknowledge certain facts. i acknowledged your items you mentioned (noting that stereo/washer dryer/mattresses were unable in town) but you simply refuse to acknowledge certain facts. you expect others to do so yet you won't! again, take your own advice!

It makes no sense to talk about commitments like Rainier until the fab four of Torliatt, Rene, Barrett and Glass are sent packing.

The anti-business council is hurting all of our retailers in Petaluma. When a business looks at locating in a community they look at the cost and the probability of success. When your first obstacle is the city itself,they just move on. Huge permit costs and an ever changing, dishonest approval process drive them away.

Target is only the visible example of the problem. Many other businesses have looked at what has happened with Target and just moved on to more sane communities. That hurts all our businesses. The restaurants, the small shops, specialty stores all rely on new businesses and new reasons for people to visit their area. It is not just Target this council is killing it is our entire business community.

This group will be forced out eventually but they will have done irreparable harm to this city.

OB, infrastructure and development go hand in hand as the city has no significant means outside of redevelopment funds, to provide any infrastructure improvement PRIOR to the development because it is always the development paying for the required infrastructure improvements. Some on the Council demand the infrastructure in place first when they have to know, there is no mechanism in place to provide revenue to make that happen. How convenient when what you really want is.... nothing.

And Really, you are correct... many retail outlets are interested in Petaluma but leery of the politics and will not risk millions in investment in an city where success is based on the whim of politicians. For every business we know of, there are many others who simply avoid the city entirely.

$2.2 Million midyear budget adjustment... isn't that about the amount Regency would add to the General Fun in sales and property tax. Instead, we are looking at program cuts... layoffs.

quote:

One suggestion is to have the council just sit at those places for a whole weekend and see the foot traffic go thru..leakage...not a leak it is a flood..

I like it.

David, do you really think when Regency comes back to the council in December that the mayor and her trio will not approve this plan knowing the dire financial situation of the city and knowing that the majority of the people want this to happen?

Instead of having the Mayor and her cohorts sit someplace, why don't we make it easy for them.

Mail your Target, Lowes, and any other purchase receipts you have from Rohnert Park or Novato to the Mayor.

Mayor Pam Torliatt
11 English Street
Petaluma, CA 9492

4th gen, you come up with the best posts! What about Costco? I spend more money there than anywhere. My tires just cost $700 last week! Plus food and other essentials we're talking about $900 in one day!

quote:

Originally posted by 4th gen Petaluma:
Instead of having the Mayor and her cohorts sit someplace, why don't we make it easy for them.

Mail your Target, Lowes, and any other purchase receipts you have from Rohnert Park or Novato to the Mayor.

Brilliant!

agree with tahoe and piker.....4thgens post presents a very interesting idea. i'm not necessarily for or against the regency center, but i am for a proper/fair/efficient processing of the application.

4gen's idea is very interesting, to add onto it.....if you really want to make a statement, you have someone the 'clearinghouse' for all out of town receipts. have a person who agrees to take in all the receipts, have folks deliver their receipts to this person. then, go speak at the public hearing where the regency center is on the agenda, the person speaks and dumps the bag of all the receipts gathered on the council chamber floor. now that would make an impression. mailing the receipts to the mayor is great....although something tells me she will simply throw them out without a second thought. dumping them at her feet on the dais, on the council chambers floor with all to witness.....she and the three others can't hide nor deny that!

quote:

Originally posted by Tahoe: Okay Will, you said it - "what they offer at many of the downtown shops you can't find at a Target." And I agree with this. But then why do many people say a Target will take away business from downtown? I just don't see that being the case..... boutique, antique, specialty shops, but none sell what a Target sells.

Mr. Tahoe, I agree the downtown area is lacking in stores for daily needs. I read Target would possibly shut down Kmart and Longs. These are both stores my family shop at on a daily basis for the kind of things a Target has.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by PTOWNKIDSTAXI:...Don't people remember when Petaluma had no Movie theater in Town.. where did all the people go to see a Movie? [QUOTE]

Yes I remember, but do you remember why we didn't have a movie theater? Do you remember the blight Pacific Theaters created when they closed their theater on N McDowell, so we would have to drive to their other theater in Rohnert Park? Do you remember how long the graffiti ridden building with broken windows sat vacant?
I use to shop at Mervyns almost every day. Ms. Nau, Do you know when that vacant building will be occupied again and with what kind of store? I use to shop at Yardbirds, Do you know when that vacant building will be occupied again and with what kind of store? Also the vacant Shoe Pavilion? I miss not having a fabric store; do you know when we will get one in Petaluma?
I have read that Lowe's and even a Target for that matter, open stores then close them and leave vacant buildings. In my opinion the city should focus on filling up the empty buildings before building more on vacant land. Also if we don't have the money to maintain our current roads why are we talking about building Rainier? How much will that cost and who is going to pay?

A question was asked of me about the Mervyn's vacant building and possible new tenants for it and other. Better ask current Council members or the Mayor.
I can remind Petalumans why the theater left Petaluma. They wanted to expand and were denied the opportunity so they moved to RP. Now we have Kohl's and Club One at that location!
Downtown has benefitted from the Theater district being approved and giving us an active and revenue generating area for our City. Thank you Basin Street. Did the City know what tenants were going there before it was built? Some have succeeded and some have not in this economy. Build it and they will come is the saying.

So with all the work this city has ahead of it, the city should become lease agents for privately owned buildings that already have lease agents? ummmm, okay. And anyone who owns land should be forced to wait for someone else to do their job before developing their own land? The real problem is the price they're asking per square foot, lower prices and they will be filled quickly.

quote:

Originally posted by king01:
So with all the work this city has ahead of it, the city should become lease agents for privately owned buildings that already have lease agents? ummmm, okay. And anyone who owns land should be forced to wait for someone else to do their job before developing their own land? The real problem is the price they're asking per square foot, lower prices and they will be filled quickly.

Mr King01, I wanted to participate in the discussion by voicing my concerns. I agree with much that has been said and I don't know the answers. Some comments are people have to leave Petaluma to shop.
I read most people shop within so many miles of where they work or live, and we fall under the work+live in Petaluma category. Once in awhile we drive to Home Depot in RP since they closed in Petaluma, we never go to Target, big ticket items Santa Rosa but besides that we buy everything in Petaluma. Yes, it may cost us more but not after we take into account how much money we spend on gas, wear on our car and to us our time. I don't know if you work in Petaluma, but for us a big factor is the additional time. We can't see getting off work and sitting in traffic at 5pm to drive to Novato or Santa Rosa and getting home at 7 or 8pm. Been there done that, which is why we work/life in the same City. Yes we could shop on the weekend, make it an all day outing to Costc/Target, but frankly we would rather do other things. We are not wealthy by any means, and do our big weekly shopping at the Grocery Outlet. Would we shop at a Target if we had one in Petaluma, maybe, but that won't bring in additional tax revenue to Petaluma, so it is a moot point. The City needs to include a survey of the people that live here in their Economic plan in order to determine what retail is needed to increase their tax base. The Retail Linkage study is old news. The City only surveyed 400 people, many lived in Novato and Rohnert Park, and they did not include anyone that did not speak English. Yes, I think everyone should speak English but the fact is many residents of Petaluma do not, yet they buy food etc just like the rest of us.
Have a nice weekend.