GROCERY OUTLET Date: Friday, October 16, 2020 11:59:11 AM
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
From: Nolthenius, Erik To: Drummond, April Cc: Hill, Debbie Subject: FW: BRENTWOOD DOES NOT NEED A GROCERY OUTLET Date: Friday, October 16, 2020 11:59:11 AM FYI From: Grindall, Terrence <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, June 08, 2020 11:41 AM To: carrascodude Cc: Hill, Debbie <[email protected]>; Web Planning Division <[email protected]>; =yPlanningMembers <[email protected]>; Ogden, Tim <[email protected]>; =yCouncil Members <[email protected]> Subject: RE: BRENTWOOD DOES NOT NEED A GROCERY OUTLET Mr. Carrasasco, I am responding to an email that was forwarded to me regarding your objections to a business leasing a space at a Brentwood Blvd shopping center. I am tasked with the City’s Economic Development efforts. Thank you for your thoughtful email and your concern for the improvement of Brentwood. While we share your aspirations for higher end retailers, the simple fact is: this is a privately owned development and the City of Brentwood does not have control over the particular brand of permitted use that leases a space. Our regulatory authority does not extend to what tenant leases space- it covers only the actual use. We do focus our attraction efforts on aspirational brands and encourage higher end stores, be we can only encourage/inform, not dictate. The private owner can sell or rent to the business they think provides them the best economic return. The City cannot legally distinguish between chains of stores or brand types. It would be illegal to deny a permit based on any other factor than those contained in the City’s zoning ordinances, general plan or State law. In this case, we cannot deny a business and developer with a proposed permitted use in order to favor another brand. Supermarkets and grocery stores are permitted uses within Sciortino Ranch (technically known as Planned Development – 55). The City has a role of maintaining and permitting orderly development consistent with local and state law. Through various land use regulations and development standards, the City ensures that all new commercial development is built to a high quality consistently across our community. We must consistently require the same high level of physical development standards for all new commercial development including Sciortino Ranch. Brentwood’s Economic Development Division is actively working with corporate representatives of desired retailers and grocers to bring businesses to Brentwood. While we can talk the them, businesses only actually come to a community after intensive market research and analysis based on THEIR economic models. While Economic Development does assist retailers with connecting the dots in our community and advocates on behalf of our Brentwood residents, we cannot force a business to locate in a certain location. Businesses locate based on available land, properties and a variety of demographic and economic data that best suits their own models. Each retailer’s requirements for the market and site is different. Each person’s demand for goods and experiences is different, some people shop based on experience and selection- even if prices are higher- and others shop based primarily on price and convenience. While you may not have interest shopping at a particular businesses, others will- that is why there is a diversity of businesses in the marketplace. This diversity is a healthy part of our free market economy. I am sorry that you are disappointed it the decision that private entities have made, but as I stated above, this decision is not within the City’s purview. I hope this information is helpful and please contact me if you need more information. Terrence Grindall Assistant City Manager Brentwood California D: 925-516-5181 From: carrascodude < > Sent: Sunday, June 7, 2020 15:31 To: =yCouncil Members <[email protected]>; Taylor, Bob <[email protected]>; Bryant, Joel <[email protected]>; Rodriguez, Johnny <[email protected]>; Rarey, Karen <[email protected]>; Staton, Claudette <[email protected]>; Ogden, Tim <[email protected]>; Grindall, Terrence <[email protected]> Cc: Hill, Debbie <[email protected]>; Web Planning Division <[email protected]>; =yPlanningMembers <[email protected]> Subject: Fwd: BRENTWOOD DOES NOT NEED A GROCERY OUTLET Hello, I am sending my note below to all of you as well. I sincerely hope that together the appropriate and best decision for the great city of Brentwood will be made. Thank you, Robert Carrasco ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: carrascodude < > Date: Sun, Jun 7, 2020 at 2:50 PM Subject: BRENTWOOD DOES NOT NEED A GROCERY OUTLET To: <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>, <[email protected]> Dear Debbie Hill and City of Brentwood Planning Division, I recently learned that the city of Brentwood is considering an application to open a Grocery Outlet in Brentwood near Brentwood Boulevard and Sand Creek Road. Brentwood does not need a Grocery Outlet in the city. We have several grocery stores on Sand Creek already and if we want to shop at a Grocery Outlet, we need travel but a short distance to Oakley or Antioch; both cities have a Grocery Outlet. Having spoken to and communicated with many Brentwood residents and neighbors, the consensus is that an additional supermarket will be needed as the city continues to grow. However, the type of market that would add to the city’s ambiance and charm is NOT a Grocery Outlet which, to my knowledge, provides no health or other benefits for its employees. The city should be looking at something like Lunardi’s Markets. Lunardi’s Markets is family-owned and run by Paul Lunardi, son of founder Alfred Lunardi. Lunardi’s is known for having some of the largest cheese and wine selections, stocking everyday favorites as well as rare, hard-to-find cheeses and wine From: Hill, Debb e To: Drummond, Apr l Subject: FW: DR 20-004 - Grocery Outlet/Grocery Store Date: Friday, October 16, 2020 11:49:31 AM From: Sinziana Todor Sent: Tuesday June 2 2020 4 20 PM To: Hill Debbie <[email protected]> Subject: Re DR 20-004 - Grocery Outlet/Grocery Store Thank you so much for clarification. Originally the project name on the website said Grocery Outlet and I would have been opposed to that store coming in Brentwood, since we have so many discount grocery stores already. Do you know who I can contact from the planning commission or the city in general to stand up an effort to bring a higher end grocery store in Brentwood? There is a high interest in Whole Foods, or another high end grocery store in the area, as you can see on this informal poll I started on Next Door. Thank you again for getting back to me! Sinziana Todor On Tuesday, June 2, 2020, 03:59:49 PM PDT, Hill, Debbie <[email protected]> wrote: From: Hill, Debbie To: Drummond, April Subject: FW: Grocery outlet market Date: Friday, October 16, 2020 11:48:05 AM From: Liz Harris > Sent: Saturday, May 30, 2020 10:47 PM To: Hill, Debbie <[email protected]>; Web Planning Division <[email protected]> Subject: Grocery outlet market Hi, I understand a Grocery Outlet Market is on the planning board for the area at Sand Creek and Brentwood Blvd. I want to voice my family’s opposition to this business. We do not need anymore low income / discount type stores like this (or any more dollar store types!). This type of grocery store does not represent the type of city we want to be. Our goals should be higher. The more of these discount type stores we allow in, the less likely we will ever attract any higher end stores and we will forever become another Antioch/Oakley. At one time I thought our goal was to pattern quaint towns such as Danville, Pleasanton, etc? What is happening to our town? Better not to build anything else. Thank you Elizabeth Harris Brentwood Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone From: Hill Debbie To: Drummond, April Subject: FW: Grocery Outlet store coming to Brentwood? Date: Friday, October 16, 2020 11:50:21 AM From: Sinziana Todor > Sent: Thursday, June 4, 2020 5:33 PM To: =yCouncil Members <[email protected]>; Taylor, Bob <[email protected]>; Rarey, Karen <[email protected]>; Staton, Claudette <[email protected]>; Bryant, Joel <[email protected]>; Rodriguez, Johnny <[email protected]> Cc: Ogden, Tim <[email protected]>; Grindall, Terrence <[email protected]>; Ewen, Joshua <[email protected]>; Hill, Debbie <[email protected]>; Web Planning Division <[email protected]> Subject: Grocery Outlet store coming to Brentwood? Hello, I am writing this email with deep disappointment! For the past week I was trying to find out from Planning and Economic Development groups, as well as by consulting the City Of Brentwood website about plans for the site related to DR 20-004, East side of Brentwood Boulevard, South of East Sand Creek Road. There is a notification from the Planning Committee, along with a liquor licence application notice posted at the above mentioned location and it indicates that Grocery Outlet is planned to be there. This is where my disappointment comes with the City Planning and Economic Development groups. I contacted both groups and both contacts were not able to confirm what store is going to be established at the above location. Again, it is on the sign placed at the site by the Planning Commission! I am definitely opposed to Grocery Outlet coming to the east side of Brentwood and here are my reasons: 1. We are inundated by discount stores. Don't we deserve better on east side of Brentwood and in Brentwood in general? As residents of east Brentwood we need to drive far and sit in traffic on Brentwood Blvd or Lone Tree to get groceries. Isn't it planning and economic development, and city government in general about creating easy access to basic necessities, such as groceries for a city's residents? 2.