ISSUES
Issue : Target will create too much traffic.
Answer: The City of Santa Barbara should prepare an environmental impact report that will analyze all of the project’s impacts (including traffic) and require mitigations (e.g. payment of fess) to reduce the impacts to acceptable levels. The mitigations can actually help fix our roads, support our schools and parks and provide money for fire and police services in our community.
Issue: Since the Airport property is surrounded by the City of Goleta, all the impacts will affect the City of Goleta, .
Answer: Yes, the City of Goleta will be affected by the impacts but the City of Santa Barbara will require the project to mitigate the impacts to acceptable levels.
Issue: All the sales tax revenue will go to the City of Santa Barbara.
Answer: Not necessarily. The two Cities could share the sales tax revenue, thereby providing regional benefits such as improving roads and intersections, adding a locals-only overcrossing at La Patera Road, improving the Goleta Train Station, providing greater police and fire services and supporting alternative transportation systems that effectively serve both communities and the entire South Coast.
Issue: Target only brings low wage jobs.
Answer: Target provides good jobs, full-time or part-time, with flexible hours for students and second income earners, in a hip environment, with employee benefits that are the best in the retail industry, and a chance to move up in one of America’s best retail organizations. Our community needs these jobs just as much as we need hi-tech jobs.
Issue: Can Target lease eitherthe Sears or K-Mart stores?
Answer: Unfortunately no. Both stores have very long term leases, low rents, and profitable stores. Neither store is leaving any time soon.
|
Issue: Target will hurt other local retailers, like K-Mart and Sears.
Answer: That may seem true, but K-Mart, Sears and Target all survive in close proximity in other communities. Each retailer serves a slightly different customer – and all allow customers to shop around for best prices. But what if Target hurts K-Mart and Sears? Then those stores will eventually be replaced by other major retailers who would love to get into this market, like Kohl’s or Marshalls.
Issue: Target will hurt downtown Santa Barbara and the Camino Real/Calle Real Shopping Centers
Answer: Target will actually keep our local dollars here on the South Coast. Rather than Target shoppers traveling to Ventura or Santa Maria to shop, they’ll stay on the South Coast and spend their money in Goleta and Santa Barbara, increasing sales and sales tax revenues for the entire South Coast.
Issue: Why doesn’t the City of Santa Barbara deal with Target in a public forum?
Answer: Since the City of Santa Barbara owns the land, it has the right (but not the obligation) to consider the Target offer in closed session as a “negotiation for the lease of City land.” It is up to the true owners of the land, the people who live, vote and pay taxes in the City of Santa Barbara, as well as the City’s neighbors, to demand the City consider a Target store in an open public forum and to properly analyze all of the benefits and impacts so the citizens of this community can decide if Target belongs at this underutilized and blighted site in Santa Barbara.
Issue: What is the process, how long will it take and can I be involved?
Answer: The Santa Barbara City Council can decide in either public or closed session whether to entertain Target's offer. If the City Council votes in favor of consideration, the Council will authorize the Airport Director to lead negotiations of a preliminary agreement and then allow Target to submit a development application to be processed by the City and considered by the public. The City’s Architectural Review Board will review the project plans and City Staff will prepare a draft environmental impact report (EIR). The draft EIR will be released to the public and the public will have 45 days or so to comment. The City will revise the EIR and hold public hearings with the Planning Commission and ultimately, the City Council. The entire process should take between 12 months and 18 months.
Issue: What can I do?
Answer: You can join with friends and other Target lovers and write letters of support to your City council members along with candidatesrunning for office and urge them to “consider” the offer from Target and discuss the problems and merits of a Target store in public – not behind closed doors. The Airport property where Target wants to go is land owned by the citizens of Santa Barbara and surrounded by the citizens of Goleta. It is the citizens who should have the opportunity to learn about all impacts and benefits associated with a Target store at the Airport property.
This web site is sponsored by Target supporters like you; Target Corporation is not affiliated with, or a sponsor of, this web site or the content contained herein.