[Sep 25]
AutoZone Project will be discussed during Fort Bragg's planning commission meeting Wednesday 9/25 at 6pm at Town Hall
Please study the info, attend the meeting and share your thoughts (3min.) during the planning commission meeting. See story poles on the south west side of Noyo Bridge.
During this public hearing the planning commission will conduct and consider adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the AutoZone Project; and approve of Coastal Development Permit 9-18, Subdivision 1-18, Design Review 3-18 to create 2 parcels in Highway Visitor Commercial Zoning District in the Coastal Zone and construct a 7,500 sq. ft. auto parts retail store with associated infrastructure and improvements at 1151 South Main Street.
Find out what the associated infrastructure and improvements are. The infrastructure includes a 26-space parking lot in front of the ocean. What are the improvements? Will they offer coffee across from our locally owned A Frame Expresso coffee business? Would the A Frame Expresso coffee business be able to stay in business?
Will Napa Rhoads Auto Parts store on Main Street be affected? Napa Rhoads Auto Parts has been an independently owned business for more than 40 years; and current owners, Bruce & Stephanie Graves have owned the business for over 28 years.
How will it affect O'Reilly Auto Parts at the Boatyard Shopping Center? O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. is one of the largest specialty retailers of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment, and accessories in the United States. The company operates 5,344 stores in 47 states.
Is there enough business here to keep 3 auto parts stores open?
AutoZone (auto parts stores) have over 6,000 company owned and operated stores in all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Brazil. They are a Fortune 500 company and are based in Tennessee. How many of the 12 jobs would be minimum wage jobs or paid less than that? How many full time staff are planned? How is their benefit package? How would this business benefit our local economy?
Environmental issues as identified by the Initial Study are analyzed in the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND). This MND concludes that this project, as proposed and mitigated, will not have long term significant adverse effects on the environment. What do you think?
The traffic study alone that was done was not done during a holiday or weekend (4th. of July or the Salmon BBQ), but on Monday, October 8, 2018. 6 mature trees would have to be removed and new ones planted. What is the success rate of planting trees in this environment? This business would eliminate ocean view for this stretch.
Would this development require an Environmental Impact Report rather than a Mitigated Negative Declaration? Do you like the 34 in. CHANNEL LETTER SIGNAGE in bright red?
They city indicates that the southernmost parcel would remain undeveloped as part of this project, however future commercial development is anticipated. The future development was going to be a second Dollar Store. Plans might have changed.
We already have at least 13 formula/franchise businesses in Fort Bragg: Taco Bell, Starbucks, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Dollar Store, McDonald's, Round Table Pizza, Denny's, Safeway, Rite Aid, Sears, Subway Sandwiches & Salads, Fort Bragg Chevron, Mountain Mike, UPS.
While Mendocino County has a moratorium on formula/franchise businesses the Fort Bragg Community Development Commission, the Planning Commission and the City Council have refused to pass such an ordinance since March 2017. Having a moratorium does not mean that we will not have any formula/franchise businesses, but it requires a public meeting and requires the public to come out and agree that we need these corporate businesses in our town and risk to loose people who are community minded, live here and keep their money here.
https://city.fortbragg.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09252019-787
https://city.fortbragg.com/687/Auto-Zone-Application
More information:
https://cityoffortbraggca.nextrequest.com/requests/19-70
Article: California Attorney General Announces $11 Million Settlement With AutoZone, AutoZone facilities in 45 counties were found by the prosecuting offices to have committed environmental violations, according to the Attorney General's Office
This link also contains a letter from the CA. Coastal Commission: Review with Consistencies of Policies with the AutoZone project.
Fort Bragg library & City Hall have more information.
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