Commission OKs expanded Albertsons Commission OKs expanded Albertsons (January 10, 2003)

Final hurdle is approval by Palo Alto City Council

by Cheri Lucas

After hours of impassioned pleas from the community, at the stroke of midnight Wednesday night the proposed 29,000-square-foot Albertsons store in Alma Plaza was recommended for approval on a split 4-3 vote by the Palo Alto Planning Commission.

Next step is consideration by the Palo Alto City Council, which is likely to discuss the issue in February.

"This is the finest center I've worked on in 25 years," developer John McNellis said. "It reflects the best thinking of urban planning and will provide a focal point for the neighborhood."

Dozens of supporters and opponents, from residents of Emerson Street to Midtown, presented their arguments. Several longtime neighbors thought it was time for the deteriorating center to be redesigned.

"This project is an asset to the community that's long overdue," a Ramona Street resident said. Several tenants have lost their businesses because Albertsons could not offer long-term leases to tenants while the plan remained in limbo for six years.

"I am upset by the revoked franchise of Round Table Pizza," said Jackie Knott, the Alma Plaza owner of Jackie's Sew and Sew for more than 20 years. Knott cited that some opponents to the large store moved into the area within the past three years, knowing exactly that they would be dealing with the parking and traffic problems of a grocery center.

Rudy Batties, an Emerson Street cul-de-sac resident behind the store, said he is reasonably happy that the Wednesday agenda addressed the primary concerns of the cul-de-sac residents.

"We are pleased that four commissioners favored to eliminate the easement option," Batties said, which would open up an area between the proposed new single family homes for pedestrians and bikers. "It's been opened up before and that caused accidents and traffic problems," Batties said.

Residents worried about lack of parking and increased traffic were disappointed that the Albertsons' space would not be limited to 20,000 square feet as other "Neighborhood Commercial" stores such as Midtown's Safeway are. Most residents who spoke said they believed the proposal complied with the city's Comprehensive Plan and was appropriate for the neighborhood.

"Twenty thousand is a historic number," Los Robles Avenue resident Ken Fulton said. "We want a modern, one-stop, competitive grocery and pharmacy that keeps the revenue inside Palo Alto," added a Barron Park resident.

"Safeway is still too small even with the addition of 1,000 square feet," said Midtown shopper and longtime Palo Alto resident Rita Sodos. Commissioner Patrick Burt added that Safeway, with a ratio of one space for every 200 square feet, has parking problems.

Burt, along with commissioners Michael Griffin and Karen Holman, suggested compromises of first a 25,000-square-foot, then a 27,000-square-foot Albertsons. But planners Nancy Hutar and Steve Emslie acknowledged concerns of parking, proposing the reconfiguration of the frontage road, in particular, to provide 10 new net spaces for the area.

Opponents said they were also pleased that the planning staff recognized the possibilities of noise pollution. Truck delivery hours may be prohibited from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Further studies of acoustics are proposed, as well as reworking of truck routes out of Alma Plaza.

E-mail Cheri Lucas at clucas@paweekly.com