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Walmart Market goes to Council for final vote May 7
Public meeting at Firehouse will hear appeal to ban store by Councilman Matt Sullivan

by Jeb Bing

The Pleasanton City Council has scheduled a public meeting at 7 p.m., Monday, May 7, to make a final decision on whether Walmart can open one of its Neighborhood Markets in the long-vacant Nob Hill supermarket building on Santa Rita Road.

So far, both the council and the Planning Commission have endorsed a decision by the city's zoning administrator, who ruled that Walmart could open its market at the site since its proposed market matches the footprint of the Nob Hill store, which the city approved in 1982.

But Councilman Matt Sullivan, a long-time and outspoken foe of the business and employment policies of national retailer Walmart Corp., filed an appeal against that decision by the Planning Commission, which voted 5-0 on March 19 to approve for a second time Walmart's bid. The commission's decision actually was to deny an appeal by two Pleasanton residents, Angela Joe-Willmes and Linda Martin, who has contested the zoning administrator's ruling.

In February, the City Council voted 4-1 to accept the zoning administrator's decision, with Sullivan casting the one vote against the measure.

More than 150 attended the Planning Commission meeting, which was held in the Firehouse Arts Center because a large crowd was expected.

City Manager Nelson Fialho said the council meeting also will be held in the Firehouse Theater, which has seats for 227 people, about 100 more than in the City Council chamber at the Pleasanton Civic Center.

If the council votes to deny Sullivan's appeal, Walmart could file for operating permits at the old Nob Hill store as early as May 8.

Improvements to the interior of the store that Walmart is proposing could take another two to three months, with the store likely to open in mid to late summer.