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Home Depot vows to follow city's procedures On Sat., May 12, the Home Depot rented space at Los Robles Golf Course Banquet Center to enable community residents to learn about its proposal to redevelop the long vacant Kmart building on Hampshire Road just off of the 101 Freeway as a smaller and aesthetically improved version of our stores. Following our community outreach event, I read a letter to the Acorn by Carol Karm, which had many misunderstandings, all of which could have been answered accurately had she attended our community event. I (wish to) comment on certain of Ms. Karm's inaccuracies in recognition that you have many readers who might otherwise accept her statements as factual. Most importantly, our project is in process. It has not been reviewed by the city planning commission or City Council. Those two bodies will review our project during public hearings in July. The staff of the city of T.O. has required that a complete analysis of the effects of our proposal be studied pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act. That analysis includes sections on traffic, noise, lighting, air quality, economic impacts, infrastructure capabilities and other points. That study is or will soon be available to the public for review and comment back to the planners. The study is the product of the city and city chosen analysts and experts. We would invite Ms. Karm and others to contact the planning department to arrange to obtain a copy for their reading. We would only state that Ms. Karm's predictions about the effects aren't based on fact and don't recognize the existing physical capabilities of the site and its access. There's ample time between now and the first hearing before the planning commission to review the study and comment. This site currently has a vacant Kmart building. It was not only fully developed more than 35 years ago, but operated as a department store with major appliances and garden center for most of that time before it was closed by a Kmart corporate decision about three years ago. Our plan calls for a smaller version of our usual store, this one being about 30,000 square feet smaller and 10,718 square feet less than the Kmart store. Our plan calls for lowering the site to make the parking safer and reduce the height of the existing building. It's our view that this site works efficiently and conveniently to serve the east side of the city and reduce the current load on our Newbury Park store. We will be upgrading the building, the parking area and the landscaping,
turning this frontage on Hampshire Road into a source of retail pride and
aesthetic enhancement. Its refreshment will aid existing businesses along
Hampshire Road and Willow Lane. We have met with our closest neighbors and
believe that they by and large support our redevelopment improvements and use,
which is consistent with the city's General Plan and zoning ordinance. | |||||
