Target Shopping Center Construction Could Start Early 2012

After months of inaction (and silence) from Regency, the developer of the Target shopping center on East Washington Street, construction may finally begin early next year.

On Monday, the Jacksonville, Florida company, applied for a grading permit with the city, according to City Manager John Brown, indicating it's ready to start building the 362,000 square foot development. Besides Target, the shopping center would also have a sporting good store, smaller retail shops, offices, a plaza and bike paths.

"We anticipate that they will be coming in for mapping permits by the end of the year," Brown said during Monday's City Council meeting. "They have been working on their designs and plans, specifications that could be pulled as soon as the final map is approved...So we would be looking at a spring 2013 opening."

So far, Regency does not appear to have paid any impact fees, but will do so prior to beginning work on the site, Brown said.

The project was approved in February 2010, after years of discussions that culminated in a lawsuit by Regency for delays with the process. Following approval, the city was sued by a community group, on grounds that it violated the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in approving the project.

The development remains highly contentious, with supporters who believe sales revenues and impact fees will greatly benefit city finances and opponents who say the traffic and pollution created by the center will outweigh any positives.

“You think getting across town is bad now, wait until this thing is built," said Paul Francis, president of Petaluma Neighborhood Association, which sued the city over the project. "People will be furious when they discover the reality- utter gridlock.”