Changes to Target Development Approved by Council

The Petaluma City Council voted to approve the modifications proposed by Regency for the East Washington Place project in a 4-2 vote Monday night, with councilwomen Teresa Barrett and Tiffany Renee opposing the changes.

On August 23, the Planning Commission denied Regency's proposed changes to increase the size of some of the buildings in the shopping center, saying that the additions didn't meet the General Plan. But Regency appealed the decision, stating that the changes were superficial and would not increase the overall scope of the development.

The modifications included the removal of the Target garden center which was replaced with interior retail space. Regency said in its appeal that Target's national model no longer included a garden center.

But the most significant change in the plan was the combining of four smaller retail spaces that ranged between 18,000 and 24,000 square feet into two larger spaces at 50,000 square feet each. Check out the maps on the right for more detail.

Another end unit in the plan was enlarged to 25,000 square feet to accommodate a potential natural foods grocery store as a tenant.

Holly Wick, owner and president of  located on Petaluma Boulevard, said the new changes amounted to a "bait and switch," a criticism echoed by many other opponents of the last minute changes.

Local business in the downtown could compete with smaller retailer spaces, but stood no chance against the bigger box stores, according to Wick, which she said would result in "hit and run retail."

Dame Rahal, co-owner of Athletic Soles, also spoke and presented 200 signatures of residents opposed to the changes in the plan.

The two also expressed concern that a potential tenant of the project is a large sporting goods store that could drastically affect their business.

Ryan Nickelson, Vice President of Investments for Regency confirmed that his company has had initial conversations with Dick's Sporting Goods, TJ Maxx, and two natural food stores, Sunflower and Sprouts Farmers Market, as possible tenants for the spaces.

Councilmember Barrett said she couldn't support the changes to the original site plan, approved in April 2010. "As one of the public members said--this is bait and switch. That's why Regency is here because they didn't like what they already got."

But councilmembers Gabe Kearney, Chris Albertson, Mike Harris and Vice Mayor Mike Healy pointed to "leakage" of retail dollars to nearby cities like Novato and Rohnert Park as justification of support of the project changes.

Councilwoman Renee noted her original objection to the project and said that by enlarging the retail spaces, the council was leaving the door open for retailers like Walmart to come in at a later date.

Mayor David Glass recused himself from the discussion as a stockholder of Target shares.

In the end, the council approved the modifications, including the removal of fifteen parking spaces along a pedestrian walkway and the softening of building corners that opened to public areas.

Regency plans to open Target in March of 2013 with other tenants opening concurrently or within two to three months of that date.