I'm disappointed at the fight against having a local Costco built on Johnson Drive. It makes great sense to me to build one in town and that seems a good location. We've seen what appears to be unbridled growth in terms of our residential units and its important to support economic growth through businesses as well. Now, is there a better location in town? Dont' think so. Personally, I'd rather keep it nearest our 680 intersection whereby 'outsiders' come into town anyway, for mall access. And, with the exception of road ingress and egress issues, this seems fine. Let's require proper care in building this structure (parking and improvements to intersections leading towards the area), instead of balking at the whole project.

I was asked several times to sign one of these petitions and when I asked what it was for they all responded that it was not against the building but rather a chance to bring it to a vote so that voters could decide. This is now being presented as against the building of the Costco. I believe that the signatures were gathered unfairly.

I actually read the information the signature gatherers provided, and understood that it was an initiative to limit the size of any retailer to 50,000 square feet. As I understood it, it doesn't specifically state anywhere that they were aiming at Costco, it is aimed at any Big Box store that wants to build a massive retail operation there on Johnson Drive. I don't consider that to be misleading. If you followed any of the many discussions held in the media and at the public meetings, you would know what the issues were before you signed.

Nobody lives on Johnson Dr

The City Council now has a way to determine how strongly the people of Pleasanton feel about putting the Costco on Johnson Drive, period. That's what this was all about. They can put it on the ballot, and then everyone will have a chance--including all those who say they love Costco--to tell the council what they would like to see there. It's a direct, cost-effective way to determine the will of the people. Misleading? Nope, just democracy in action.

It's the same story. Paid signature gathers saying anything to get a signature. Enough of paid signature people already- we need an ordinance against them!!

I think the location is perfect for a Costco!

Missing, we're a representative democracy. We elected the City Council to sort this out. If they do not do it to our satisfaction, we have remedies including referenda. This is demagoguery from NIMBYs and business owners who have a purely business reason for keeping Costco out.

Congrats to Bill and his team for gaining enough signatures to qualify this for the ballot! This is the only way the public will have a say in this decision.

Other issues about this project not mentioned in the article:

• Costco and the developer, Nearon, want a $5 million taxpayer subsidy (plus interest) from you and me to offset the cost of needed roadway and infrastructure improvements. This is unprecedented for a retail project of this nature in Pleasanton and sets a terrible precedent for future projects.
• The city says that the subsidy will be paid back over time with sales tax revenue from the project, but they have yet to release a peer-reviewed economic study demonstrating this. The economic study completed on behalf of Nearon was significantly flawed and flies in the face of dozens of other studies conducted nationwide about the significant negative impacts of big-box retail on local businesses and economies.
• The critical traffic mitigations needed for the project are on I-680 and I-580, are under the control of CALTRANS, not the city, and cost an estimated ONE-BILLION DOLLARS with no funding identified. These improvements won’t be built in our lifetime.
• This project severely conflicts with and undermines the Sustainable Development goals and polices of the Pleasanton General Plan and the 12,000-15,000 car trips PER DAY results in Pleasanton violating the BAAQMD Regional Air Quality Plan. Not to mention the quality of life impacts of all these car trips to surrounding neighborhoods
• The city attempted to approve this project under the radar in a very undemocratic fashion – even eliminating the ability of the public to overturn the approval of a big-box store by voter referendum. Fortunately, the public saw through this early on and they have had to backtrack. In the face of this and the very public statements of support for the project by the Council majority the only option left if we want to have a say in this decision is a voter initiative. We should be thankful we have ONE City Council member, Karla Brown, that takes her responsibility of representing the public seriously and is the only one who has raised questions about this project.

After all this if you still think that the price of this project is worth the $1.50 hot dog you can get at Costco, well you will get a chance to vote come November! But I would ask you first do your own research and not take the word of the City, Costco, or Nearon. Go to the “Pleasanton Citizens for Responsible Growth” Facebook page or the website of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance at Web Link I think you’ll find there is a lot more to this than discount hot dogs.

I'm really tired of driving to other cities to shop at Costo. I don't buy anything frozen because the drive back home is a bit too long. Pleasanton is a dead-beat town....doesn't offer much to residents. Seems like a no brainer to bring in some revenue rather than sending residents to surrounding cities. This is an ideal location for a Costco.....Trader Joe's too!

Another dumb measure! I'd love to have a new Costco in Pleasanton! Hope this goes the way of measure K!

It is about that dumb limo service wanting to keep their road parking!

Let's stick it to them like we did on measure K!

West Side: As I understand it, on a rezoning issue there is no possibility for referendum to recall a bad decision. And it seems that the City Council had no real interest in hearing other viewpoints once Nearon brought Costco to them. So you have a situation where the council is not acting in our best interests, trying to slip thru a zoning change to benefit a developer and a big multimillion dollar company and try to get the taxpayers to fund the necessary infrastructure, and then in their own EIR saying the impacts will be 'significant and unavoidable.' And the best you can counter with is to say leave it up to the council and then start yelling NIMBY, NIMBY? I think the initiative process is the only recourse the citizens of Pleasanton have.

Costco is only 10 minutes away in Livermore. I hope it stays that way.

Get over it!! Build the store on Johnson Dr.!! It really doesn't affect me as far as driving there is concerned, because I can drive to the Livermore store just as fast, since I am centrally located. Why not collect the tax benefit for our city instead of giving more to Livermore. They have the benefit of the Outlets and that keeps growing, bringing in a lot of tax revenue. Wake up people, it's going to happen someday and it's called progress. We are not and never will be the sleepy little western town on the outskirts of San Francisco & Oakland. We live at a location with valuable real estate and that isn't going to change.

Here we go again. Costly ballot initiative. Didn't Measire K enlighten you Matt Sullivan? The majority of our council is looking out for the best interests of all the residents - sans one person. November is the time for that one person Karla Brown to leave office. There I said it!

I am against the loan, but I do think something needs to be built, Costco or something else. And the caution is that this is a transportation corridor and "something else" could be 350 more apartments if the governor and others have their way (and they already did once). Be sure what you argue for and be careful with the wish.

We live in the Bay Area, not in Wyoming. Don't use traffic to scare people. If Wheeler were a resident of Pleasanton, and if he treated his employees fairly by providing parking lot for his employees, not on street, I would like to support his initiative.

Build it. Great place and store. Will black tie pay for cost of ballot? They have most of hotel space to park. What's there beef? Perfect location for store, what is objection? Do you want more i.e. 300 apartments there? For Costco!

So why do we elect officials again? Oh yeah, representative government. We vote for the officials. If we don't like them, we can vote them out next time as a group -- not a group of special interests but as a town. We don't need to vote each time a measured decision is made. Protest at city council or development board meetings. Make sure concerns are heard. But this is getting silly. What next?

I went to Livermore Costco during the week, mid-day. Packed! Parking tight. Tax dollars going to Livermore, not Pleasanton. I'd welcome one in my hometown and I really don't see much of a problem assuming the road (Johnson) can be widened a bit.

Ask the City how much money Costco is demanding to locate in Pleasanton. They won't tell you! Where is the Transparency?
Costco will not pay for infrastructure costs (they will loan the City $6 million; LOAN!) Costco will not pay impact fees. In some cities Costco has demanded and received as much as $29.6 million in tax breaks to locate there.

Depending on what the City of Pleasanton promises Costco, it could take 20 years before the sales tax revenue will offset the incentives or gifts to Costco. 20 years to break even!!

Ask for transparency. This started in 2014!!! The negotiations began In 2014. Fialho knows; the Mayor Thorne knows.

Please build the costco. why the hell do we need another walmart?

I agree! Why should we pay Costco millions of our tax dollars to come here?? I searched " City Tax Beaks to Costco" . If the cities don't pay, Costco won't come.
I'll drive 8 miles.

I really find it amazing that they quote only Bill Wheeler in this article regarding Citizens for Planned Growth. He is not a citizen of Pleasanton he is a business owner who doesn't want to pay to rent parking for his employees. Ridiculous! I see no huge traffic backups on the street surrounding the San Ramon or Livermore Costco. As for the tax subsidy, they really are not unprecedented for businesses who bring in jobs and tax dollars...maybe in Pleasanton, where anything that brings those in is fought tooth and nail, but nowhere else in the country. Most states and cities fight over things that bring money and jobs to their area and try to out subsidize each other.

We elect city councils, state and federal legislatures, etc. to educate themselves and make the best decisions for the good of all. That is the way it should be. To have this referendum/proposition policy that California has is craziness! I have lived in a lot of states, but this was my first experience of such a small number of people being able to cause extreme cost to all and force our elected officials to do their will by using misinformation and in my personal case, intimidation to get people to bend to them. I was literally followed and harassed all the way to the back of Raley's by a PP signature gatherer to try to force my signature on that petition. The result is that we have something on the ballot that many of the people do not begin to have the resources or time to properly educate themselves on the details needed to make an educated decision. They vote by their own person biases. You all can argue with this but in the last 20 years I have talked to too many people who are strongly for, or against, something on the ballot and find they really have no reasons for their positions that are based on actual correct facts. I personally find I get tired of having to spend the time necessary to do the research on multiple referendum/propositions every election when I pay taxes to pay peoples salary to do the job of making choices that are best for the town as a whole.

It is an expensive policy. For 10 percent of the people who have a personal agenda to be able to force an election on decisions that are made by people elected by the majority of citizens and which are made after much research and actual knowledge of the facts is in my opinion an injustice to the majority. If you want to live only by what suits you, by 100 acres and live in isolation, not in a major metropolitan region.

Regarding the effect on local businesses, Costco has said there are 22,000 members in Pleasanton. If this is true (one of the things I don't have the resources or time to check) I can't see that increasing all that much with a local Costco since the 2010 census states there were 25,245 total households in Pleasanton, I know that has gone up some since then but still. It doesn't seem to me that a Costco in Pleasanton wiill effect local businesses all that much. Everybody already shops at Costco. You buy what you buy at Costco at Costco and everything else locally. Could the numbers of how negatively it effects local businesses perhaps be taken from areas that did not previously have nearby Costcos and such a high number of members already? Something else to research that our council members may already know.

By the way - you are not going to stop progress, no matter how hard you try. Just ask the people who lived here in 1970 and there were 2 traffic lights and they loved it. We now live in a major metropolitan region.

I think that anyone who wants to comment should understand the issues beforehand. The traffic in the I580/I680 interchange areas (already bad) will increase, and bringing in a huge retailer will effect local small businesses. So Costco customers get to drive less--but may spend a lot more time on local roads getting there. And for all this, Costco is going to extract a big price, without giving back to our community. Take a look at the huge subsidies, tax breaks and grants they required in other places at www.citizensforplannedgrowth.com

Another bunch of whiners and malcontents forcing a referendum! COSTCO will be good for this community. They treat their employees and their customers fairly unlike Walmart, and we already have 2 of those.

I don't get it...more traffic ; more pollution ; small businesses closed; more crime and demands on our police; we have to borrow $6 million for infrastructure ; unsafe freeway interchanges; more truck traffic on our streets ; an ugly warehouse; a huge parking lot with contaminated runoff into out storm drains; cars idling 30 minutes for gas within 1/2 mile of an elementary school.

And we are suppose to pay them millions to come to our town?

As I said, I'll drive 8 miles.

The petition might sound more believable if it wasn't primarily driven by Blacktie.

In my observation Blacktie van/bus drivers are some of the worst transport drivers around. They recklessly change lanes, double park on Main Street at will, bully other drivers in intersections, and now they want to pretend this isn't about Wheeler wanting free street parking for his operation?

Give me a break.

@So sick of referendums! You are spot on--a well thought out and educated response.

As @Kathleen points out, what would you rather have--a big box retailer, or another high-density apartment complex? See Gov. Jerry Brown's 'by-right' proposal he's currently trying to push through the state legislature to limit local controls regarding housing, which our Mayor and other elected officials, btw, object to.

Also see, Home Depot was rejected years ago at Stanley and Bernal--now they're building 345 apartments and a multi-retail center. How's that for added traffic and pollution, Matt Sullivan?

Speaking of which, here we go with more 'claims' made without any proof/evidence provided:

Re: "The critical traffic mitigations needed for the project are on I-680 and I-580, are under the control of CALTRANS, not the city, and cost an estimated ONE-BILLION DOLLARS with no funding identified."

One billion dollars? Where did you get that estimate from? Caltrans? Prove it. Just because you claim it doesn't make it true (see No on K supporters).

Re: "This project severely conflicts with and undermines the Sustainable Development goals and policies of the Pleasanton General Plan and the 12,000-15,000 car trips PER DAY results in Pleasanton violating the BAAQMD Regional Air Quality Plan. Not to mention the quality of life impacts of all these car trips to surrounding neighborhoods."

So it makes more environmental sense for residents of Pleasanton and adjacent communities (e.g., Dublin, Castro Valley, Castlewood, Sunol) to keep traveling to Livermore and Danville instead? Um, that's nonsense.

Additionally, of course, YOU live close to Johnson Drive, Matt, don't you? Didn't give a damn about increased traffic, quality of life impacts, and additional car trips affecting MY neighborhood and Mission Hills, but now that something might increase traffic, etc., around YOUR neighborhood, it's of huge concern, isn't it?

Lastly, re: "We should be thankful we have ONE City Council member, Karla Brown, that takes her responsibility of representing the public seriously and is the only one who has raised questions about this project."

No, we should really be thankful we have a Mayor and three City Councilmembers that take their responsibility of representing the public seriously and conscientiously, rather than your so-called "voice in the wilderness", Karla Brown, who lives on a hillside in Kottinger Ranch, a 'not-in-the-wilderness' subdivision built upon many hillsides and ridges (which used to be wilderness, btw), who supported and joined a group of selfish individuals (many of whom, like Brown, are also hillside residents), that constantly and irresponsibly misled and outright lied to the voters of this community, the majority of whom saw through all of that and their hypocrisy, and supported the truth based on facts (See Yes on Measure K).

The most important thing Pleasanton voters should be voting on locally this November is voting Karla Brown out of office.

Hey Vantana, whoever you are!

Read the EIR for the project. That's where I got my info.

Let's see: 43 house = 387 car trips per day split 50-50 between two neighborhoods compared to 15,000 trips per day on weekends and 12,000 on weekdays. Don't think your argument holds water, Vantana!

Hey Matt, Make sure your comment is clear in that the traffic numbers you quote are for the ENTIRE economic zone on Johnson Dr NOT just related to Costco. The Costco numbers are just under 7,000 trips per day! Big difference!

To be clear, my intention was to compare the impacts of the entire project, not just the Costco.

Build the Costco in Lund ranch and let those NIMBYs see what real traffic is all about. If bill wheeler wants another ballot initiative he should have to pay for it. Time to stop the taxpayers of Pleasanton from having to foot the bill for every person with self-interest who can hire signature gatherers. Wheeler has never paid for his free street parking, we have subsidized it. Time to pay the piper now.

I live in one of the neighborhoods which will be negatively impacted by the traffic, noise and pollution generated by a big-box store such as Costco. The Costco in Livermore is built in a location with easy on-and-off access. The EDZ area cannot be directly accessed from I-680. Cars need to exit the freeway and make a turn at the very busy intersection of Stoneridge and Johnson Drive. Traffic already backs up on Stoneridge with existing traffic trying to get on and off of I-680. There is not only nearby housing, but a community park and the only location in Pleasanton for people to get recycled water. We're a community over here. And, we, like everyone else who has tried to navigate the current Trader Joe's parking lot, would love to see them locate here. If Costco is such a desirable business for Pleasanton, why wasn't it put on the Bernal property where Safeway went in? That location is much easier to reach from the freeway than Johnson Drive.

I'd like to see Costco built there. I get why Black Tie doesn't want Costco, I see all of the cars parked along the frontage. Perhaps Black Tie has grown to big for their britches and needs a new, larger location. Black Tie appears to park a large portion of their vehicles behind the Doubletree Hotel. They could have their employees park there and use one of their own shuttles. Looking at Apple maps satellite view tells their story, they have very little parking and use the public streets. I count 41 cars parked out on the street. All of the surrounding businesses appear to have ample parking. This is all about what Black Tie wants not the surrounding community. Bring on the referendum so that Costco can get built.

I wonder how many people were asked to sign the petition and said NO. Are the taxpayers going to be spending more money for another vote, where to the outcome is already determined? Are the petition workers paid by signatures received or hourly? Questions, questions, questions.

Put Costco in Lund Ranch, that's brilliant especially since paid signature gatherers for the No folks were telling people that a road over the hills with a Costco on it was what was being proposed!! Let's make that a reality!

Not only is parking a reason why Bill wheeler doesn't want Costco but he's also trying to protect Carrie Cox's Shell gas business. Pleasanton has been held hostage on gas prices until the Safeway gas on Bernal was completed. In this case, I think competition may be healthy.

Early on, signature gatherers were Black Tie employees paid by the hour to collect signatures. I must say my encounters with them were polite but they clearly didn't understand the issue. Later on, signature gatherers were paid $10.00 per signature or at least that's what 2 of they told me. They also wouldn't say who was paying them. It wouldn't surprise me if Bill Wheeler hired the same firm the No on K folks used as they were very aggressive and rude if you didn't want to sign. But in any case, if this qualifies for the ballot, he'll have to start filing financial disclosures so we'll see what it's costing him.

If this doesn't qualify in time for the November ballot than we'll have to have a special election costing several thousand dollars. I don't know about anyone else but seems to me there are a lot better uses for the money in this city than continually having referendums.

Perfect place for a Costco. Easy vote for me.

"This is all about what Black Tie wants not the surrounding community."

Incorrect. I live outside of the area that could possibly be affected by Costco, and I don't want it. Most people I speak with don't want Costco here. I can't wait for the vote, I will be stunned if the Costco (or stores larger than 50,000 sq. ft.) is voted in, but hey, I could be wrong. It's called democracy, I'm happy it's going to a vote.

And thank goodness for Karla Brown, calling this what it is. The traffic will be bad, but the worst part of this is the $5 million "subsidy" (nice try, as Brown said at the last public meeting, it's a LOAN) Costco wants, so that they can make a mint in our town.

By the way, if you like $1.50 hot dogs, feel free to stop by my place anytime, I'll cook you a dog for 50 cents.

I agree with Ann from our neighborhood. Many people in favor of Costco live elsewhere. The traffic, the pollution, the home values- none are their concern.
So many are blogging about the cost to allow us to vote in a General Election. The costs are minimal. If it were your neighborhood, you might feel differently.
Many blogs are mean spirited and devicive regarding the right to vote. Yes, it's another vote- but so what?? Are our city leaders listening? Have they asked us? Do they care what we think?

And yes, I would like transparency on the demands of Costco for tax breaks!

Please bring a Costco to Pleasanton. Soon. Shorter drive for me.

The Costco development proposal if approved and is constructed will be in my area. I absolutely approve of it. It will reduce my families gas usage, it will save my families money, it will save my families time, and it will reduce the pollution my family produces driving to all those other cities.

The most positive knowledge of a Costco in Pleasanton, is that Tax Dollar going into Pleasanton coffers and not into Livermore, San Ramon, or Danville coffers, that Tax Dollar, all of it, stays here in Pleasanton.

The fact that Black Tie was the one leading the charge is something that concerned me. I for one would be happy to see the CostCo on Johnson Drive. Traffic may be congested initially because it will be new but after a while it will die down. The only significant congestion I experience around the Livermore CostCo is when church service is scheduled - you want to talk about congestion and rude drivers - head to CostCo when the congregation is!

Black Tie is only concerned about the free parking they'll lose with the construction and completion. And of course they are not arguing against hotels - they'll be more customers in walking distance to their drivers.

One vote here for CostCo in Pleasanton!

This is an important decision. I personally do not want Cosco to come to Pleasanton. Voting seems fair. Let the citizens of Pleasanton decide.

Taking an initiative to ballot is not a few thousand dollars - it's hundreds of thousands. Measure K cost us close to 250k in taxpayer dollars and the outcome was the same as the city intended. Let our elected officials do their job for Pete sake. And let's vote Karla out of office while we are at it. She helped cost the taxpayer on measure k, now she's at it again.

#JJ....tell me what school is within a half mile. Donlon is way further than that.
Do you people that oppose this think that NOTHING will be built on that site. How are you going to like it if it ends up being an apartment complex with hundreds of people coming and going daily.
Will you be complaining about how many kids will be attending the schools or how much water they will be using.
Build Costco...and I hope also that Dublin approves IKEA!

I've always had a fairly positive impression of Black Tie Transportation until now. This campaign has changed that. They're obviously concerned about their own convenience and not the people or city of Pleasanton.

I'll be sure to vote to keep my sales tax dollars in Pleasanton and to save the emissions spewed by driving to Livermore for my weekly shopping.

This site is an ideal location for a Costco which can better serve the majority of the residents of Pleasanton and generate far more tax dollars for Pleasanton which can be put to work here vs. in our neighboring cities.

Costco is the best retail store we could hope for in this location. They are a quality company with favorable hours of operation and products we all can benefit from.

Where were the dissenters when the mammoth housing and apartment development was approved next to the Safeway on Bernal and 680? What a monstrosity! How would we all like to see another one of those?

Approve and build the Costco as soon as possible.

Those of you say "build it" don't care about the cost? The years it will take to break even? How can you make that decision without knowing what is being negotiated ? How much will the infrastructure cost? How much will need to be borrowed? If Costco doesn't pay for infrastructure or impact fees, who will?

What if it takes 20 years to break even? To realize $1 from sales tax?
Just go ahead and "build it" without knowing?
I like Costco, but giving the city a blank check to make the deal, is foolish. Demand answers before making your decision. Demand Transparecy. Costco signed a lease. The deal is done. What is it?

TAXPAYERS PAYING MONEY FOR A BALLOT MEASURE SO TWO JOHNSON DRIVE BUSINESS OWNERS CAN CONTROL THEIR COMPETITION! Its not about voters having the right to decide. It is about manipulating residents into thinking it is about local control. And of course, they are the same people predicting doom about traffic. Costco creates far less than office, and a bunch of individual retailers, plus it is on the freeway frontage. Look at the fight against WalMart and WalMart grocery. None have created the demise predicted. Oh, and the Stoneridge Dr extension as well!

@How Much Will It Cost.
How did you vote on Alameda County Measure A?

It's about time Pleasanton retains it's tax dollars instead of letting them go to Dublin and Livermore. Great place for Costco. Besides, why should Black Tie employee parking be paid for and maintained with city taxes and at the cost of 70000 residents freedom to shop locally.

"How are you going to like it if it ends up being an apartment complex with hundreds of people coming and going daily."
An apartment complex, or a hotel, will bring far less traffic than a Costco. If you don't believe me, go to any large apartment complex, or hotel, and watch the traffic. There's a little in the morning when many go off to work, and another bump in the evening when they come back, but basically calm, light traffic all day. Whereas a Costco has constant coming any going all day long, especially with a gas station.

"This site is an ideal location for a Costco"
I strongly disagree. The 580/680 interchange is a mess. The onramp from Stonebridge going northbound onto 680 (on the east side) gets backed up every evening from commuters leaving the business park and such.

Hey @Matt Sullivan,

Please point out where in the EIR it either suggests or states "The critical traffic mitigations needed for the project...cost an estimated ONE-BILLION DOLLARS."

Specifically, which pages in the 1,779 page EIR report did you come up with 1 billion dollars?

Web Link

I haven't found any specific dollar amount estimates anywhere in the report as yet.

Since you make that claim, please provide the factual evidence of where/how you got your figures to come up with 1 billion dollars. Otherwise, your claim is unsubstantiated.

To those who site "Wasting gas and more Polution from increased traffic" as some reason for not letting Costco build a store here....did you forget that they are already driving to the Livermore and San Ramon Costcos anyway which is farther from Pleasanton? Yeah, this would actually SAVE gas and reduce polution...plus add jobs and tax dollars to our local economy.

It seems like people are so focused on dumping on Black Tie, a local business that has been contributing taxes and helping local charities for 25 years, that they forget that there is a multibillion dollar company trying to manipulate the zoning process and asking for millions from taxpayers just so they can improve their bottom line and milk the Pleasanton residents who have lots of money to spend. Seems to me that's a lot more important than parking issues.

Many want Costco.... How much of your money are you willing to spend? Yes, I said of your money. It is your money. We have a $5million infrastructure fund which has built up over the years. The City is proposing to use it ALL for this project. Additionally, they will borrow $6 million from Costco. That's $11 million dollars of your money, and our future generation's money.

What's next? Sales tax revenue sharing? Decreased property taxes. Costco will want it all. Demand answers from the City.

Other retail businesses would have to pay these costs; they would have to pay impact fees, full property taxes, no sales tax break. There would be no borrowing.

As to the costs of adding a vote to the General Election, ask the City the costs. It's not the hundreds of thousands of dollars quoted by bloggers. This is not a special election.

Whether you are for or against Costco, know what you are spending. Ask the City. They know- but sadly, they will not tell you!

Wrong Focus
People are focused on Black Tie because Bill Wheeler is the one heading this campaign per the below article from March. Second paragraph clearly states, "Led by Bill Wheeler, owner of Black Tie Transportation which has its operations on Johnson Drive next to the proposed big box site, a new citizens coalition called Citizens for Planned Growth (CFPG) will have until May 12 to collect the 4,017 signatures required to place its initiative on the ballot.".
Drops the microphone.

Web Link

Vantana,

The billion dollar estimate is for the 580/680 flyover that is listed as a traffic mitigation for the project in the EIR. This estimate has been used for years by regional transportation planning agencies like the Tri Valley Transportation Council, which Pleasanton sits on, and was confirmed by city traffic engineer Mike Tassano during a community workshop held late last year. Ask him yourself, but you will likely have to use your real name or he may not answer.

This estimate doesn't include the costs for the new Stoneridge to 680 on-ramp or the completion of Highway 84 widening, which are both listed as mitigation's in the EIR and will cost millions more. Like I said, we will not see these improvement in our lifetimes - unless you are about 12 years old.

And for those who ask “what else would be built on the site if not a Costco?” Well, I can think of a number of things.

How about leaving the zoning as it is? We have little space left in the city for small, independent businesses like these to be able to locate and thrive. Many of these are good business for our local economy and fill a variety of resident’s needs. If the EDZ is approved, it will wipe them out. Granted, the EDZ may result in higher economic activity, but local government should be about working for the common good and not the bottom line for corporate special interests – who will strip much of that economic activity out of the city to corporate HQ. Or to offshore tax havens.

Or how about encouraging R&D and light industrial, or green businesses that assemble solar panels or sell energy efficient products? If the city wants to spend our tax dollars for business subsidies, why not underwrite a “green development zone” and work with Los Positas College or CSU East Bay and bring students in in an effort to create green jobs? I’d much rather spend my money on something that will benefit a larger segment of the population in a way that provides value rather than just having access to large quantities of cheap junk and $1.50 hot dogs.

And for those who say if we don’t build a Costco we will end up with more high density housing on the property, I’d say that more affordable housing provides a greater societal benefit that a Costco and two hotels. And would result in a lot less traffic!

City Staff views this entire project as a cash cow that can fund high-profile capital projects, like the new space-age City Hall and Library proposed for the Bernal property. While these would be a benefit to the community, especially the library, ask yourself “why now?” Could it be that the Downtown Association and the Chamber of Commerce have been clamoring for years for the city to move its buildings off Main Street – on the taxpayer’s dime, of course – and open up the south end of downtown for more commercial development?

There’s more to this project than meets the eye. Please look carefully at the motivations, who pays, and who truly benefits.

To, Matt Sullivan

1.To have a fair debate I would like to understand your personal relationship with those fighting Costco?
2.Where are you getting your facts and how were they vetted?
3.What is your suggestion the lot be used for?

@how much it will cost. Do your homework. Measure k was not a special election - was on the ballot with the primary election - alameda county charged the city well over 200,000. That's a lot of zeros and we ended up with the same result - exactly what the city council approved. Only Karla Brown dissented and therefore she helped cost us the taxpayers over 200,000. Do yourself a favor and fact check.

Lessismore,

To have a fair debate, I would like to know your true identity. I always use mine even though it usually results personal attacks, insults, and questions about my integrity hurled by anonymous cowardly bloggers.

But to answer your questions:

1. I am one of the people fighting against the Costco, and the entire EDZ for that matter, and I have a very close personal relationship with myself. If that is a thinly veiled question about Black Tie Transportation, I have met Bill Wheeler twice and have no personal or business relationship with him or any other business for that matter, and nothing financially at stake with this project. We both are on the same side on this issue.

2. The facts I have presented come from a variety of places: the project EIR and Economic Study, the three city meetings I have attended where information was presented by the city and questions were answered, interchanges I have had with City Council members and the City Manager, and on the larger background issues, my experiences as City Council member for 8 years and a Planning Commissioner for 6 years before that. Where does you information come from? Hopefully not the Pleasanton Weekly!

3. My suggestion for what to do with the site is described in my last post.

@Matt Sullivan,

I didn't ask you for what your estimate is for, I asked you to provide proof of it.

That notwithstanding, I found the info myself.

Web Link

What's interesting is, as you've already pointed out, this project has been in the works for years, irrespective of and unrelated to the Johnson Economic Development Zone, which didn't come to fruition until 2014.

Additionally, the Highway 84 widening has been in the works for years, too, again, irrespective of and unrelated to the Johnson Economic Development Zone project.

What's that mean? While both are listed as traffic mitigations for the Johnson EDZ, they both have long since been planned anyway, Matt, so trying to use their pricetags as a reason to reject ANY project in the EDZ makes no sense.

They were both already planned to be built. In fact, Caltrans just recently held public meetings in Sunol, Pleasanton, and Livermore to discuss the Highway 84 widening and solicit public input on their plans. That is going to happen.

Many thought the SB I-680 to WB I-580 flyover wouldn't be seen "in our lifetimes", either, Matt, but the reality is it WAS built in our lifetime.

Furthermore, something will eventually get built there on that property, unless you'd like to buy it and keep it vacant, in which case, go for it.

Otherwise, for you and others to claim and/or suggest that anything built there other than a single big box store like Costco will make us better off traffic-wise, please provide proof that would be the case.

You've long been a big opponent of big box stores, so why don't you just admit THAT is your real motivation behind opposing a Costco going in the Johnson EDZ.

For residents living close to Johnson Drive, you need to ask yourselves what you'd rather have--a very real possibility of multiple high-density apartment complexes, or a single retail store?

Yes, it'd be great to think nothing will ever be built there, but that's not being realistic.

For myself, I would have much preferred a Home Depot at Bernal and Stanley, rather than the reality of having 345 apartments plus a multi-retail complex now being built there. Would I and others have ultimately preferred that nothing ever be built there? Absolutely. But that wasn't being realistic.

Costco may indeed get rejected, and if it does get rejected by referendum or otherwise, it won't disappoint me, but what ultimately gets built there in its place may not in the end be better off for you, or the rest of us.

Be careful what you wish for.

Correction:

I meant to say, "Many thought the SB I-680 to EASTBOUND, or EB I-580 (correcting from WB; did not mean westbound) flyover wouldn't be seen "in our lifetimes", either, Matt, but the reality is it WAS built in our lifetime."

Ah, that's great, Matt:

"And for those who say if we don't build a Costco we will end up with more high density housing on the property, I'd say that more affordable housing provides a greater societal benefit that a Costco and two hotels. And would result in a lot less traffic!"

That's great--you and Governor Jerry Brown--let's dump more high-density, 'stack 'n pack' housing on Pleasanton so we can emulate Dublin. See how many people in this town support that idea. Good luck.

As far as your other suggestions, I guess Stoneridge Mall was a really terrible idea back in the '80s, along with Hacienda Business Park.

Yeah, right.

Vantana,

Yeah, you know all about my motivations. You know nothing.

But I'm in a generous mood so I'll try to enlighten you. Everything I've listed in the above posts are valid reasons for opposing this project. But my primary reason is the process the city attempted to use to approve this - under the radar, with little or no public input, lack of transparency, and taking away the public's right of referendum for approval of specific uses after the rezoning is complete. You seem to know my record, but if nothing else I hope you would agree my primary motivation of the 14 years of combined City Council/Planning Commission service was a passion for democracy and of public input in government decision making. Go ahead, throw another insult!

What is disheartening to me is that a new paradigm has emerged since the Lund Ranch project: Neighborhood vs. Neighborhood; Residents who like Costco vs. Residents who don't like Costco. Used to be that residents stood up against City Hall and developers and for each other knowing that we were all in this together. What's happening now plays right into their hands and we do their fighting for them. That's what happened on Measure K. Ingenious. But short sighted on our part ... all for the price of a $1.50 hot dog.

MsVic. This is a very small percent of the $11 million to $20 million that Costco could cost the taxpayers. Do you have a fact check for the costs of Costco in other cities? f so, you will see the $29.6 million demanded by Costco recently in Mississippi.

We are suppose to try to be GREEN. If Costco in Pleasanton, we do not have to use as much GAS to purchase items for our homes.

Normally, Costco does not have to have a lot of landscaping for using WATER for plants.

Brings in tax money

We do not need homes in the middle of Johnson Drive or condos or apartments.

Everything else seems to be voted into our town - why not something that will serve a good purpose.

Matt, you may not like that Resident of Ventana Hills doesn't use an actual name, but you lose respect and my interest in your post when you intentionally misspell the chosen name with Vantana.

I do not see how adding a Costco in Pleasanton will increase traffic.

Pleasanton has a high percentage of household that already belong to Costco. Currently they get on the freeway and drive to either the Livermore or San Ramon Costco.

Adding a Costco in Pleasanton means those households will no longer have to get on the freeway and drive to another Costco.

If this were a store with a new offering to the region (e.g., Ikea) there would be increased traffic of those outside the area driving into our area for the new offering. Being this is an offering that is already in neighboring cities, adding more of them reduces traffic. This is no different than if Safeway was only in San Ramon and Livermore that Pleasanton household shop at, and then they opened a Safeway in Pleasanton. Traffic is reduced.

I can understand being concerned if you have a competing business (e.g., a gas station) as this will potentially hurt your business because of the convenience factor. This is no different than smaller grocery stores and other retail stores being hurt by a Safeway supermarket. Times change.

Also, a lot more people are purchasing items online for the convenience factor. When they purchase online, we do not get any of the sales tax in our community. If Costco is more convenient to more households, people will show there. That gives sales tax right to our community.

Matt Sullivan......I remain nameless because I do not trust you to be a respectful person.....you have a reputation for being an angry, verbally abusive bully.

You say you support democracy, yet anytime the citizens of Pleasanton vote differently than you demand, you insult and belittle them. You believe in your freedom of speech, but do not think people who think differently than you have the right of freedom of thought and the freedom to vote as they wish.

You act like you speak for and represent the majority Pleasanton yet you do not.

You are just a has-been city council member who seems to be in a constant state of anger. It is getting really old.

[Portion removed]

Matt Sullivan....I forgot one other thing.

You belittle the Pleasanton Weekly, yet you appear to spend an large amount of time contributing here and to the letters to the editor.

You imply information in the PW cannot be trusted and should not be used to make informed decisions about issues. Does that also include the "information" your provide to "educate" us?

Anyone can post comment here!
The problem: The comments posted anonymously have no credibility!
If you want your comment to have credibility, than identify yourself!
If you want to dredge up garbage, identify your self, YOU COWARD!!!

I do not agree with Matt Sullivan on this Costco issue.

I have tremendous respect for Matt Sullivan for standing up, writing and expressing his concerns, and his opinion on this issue.

The rest of you anonymous posters with the exception of Kathleen are disrespectful, cowardly and by way of your commentary demonstrate everything that is wrong with this community on this forum.

@How much will it cost. I never offered up any dollar figure on what Costco will or will not cost. I was simply correcting your misstatement about how much a ballot measure coats. Hundreds of thousands. That was my only comment.

@Matt Sullivan - I can't believe that you actually are blaming someone other than yourself, Karla Brown, Alan Roberts and a few residents for the Lund Ranch neighbor vs neighbor issue. The issue was caused when a group of people - yourself included - decided that they could win votes by misleading the rest of Pleasanton. Well that didn't work and this one won't work either.

Time to stop these referendums in our town. I personally will never sign another issue to get it on the ballot knowing what I now know about signature gatherers. And nope I didn't sign this one for Costco.

Hey Michael - I am Vicki LaBarge - and many people happen to call me MsVic. I am involved in our city and have been active at city council and planning commission meetings. I am sorry if my "anonymous" posting bothers you. I have personally been bullied by people during the whole Lund Ranch Measure K debacle and filed a police report and was close to getting a restraining order against someone working the no on k side. Just so you know I plan to continue posting as MsVic as I simply don't trust that I would not be bullied again.

What a clown show this is...100 bucks says every single dissenter to the costco store will be there shopping within a few months of it's opening. What a bunch of california hypocrites.

I know--- lets build a 600 unit low income housing unit there instead.

I know, like "Lets vote for higher minimum wages and then (complain) about how much more hamburgers cost".....California is the epitome of self inflicted wounds.

No matter what is build there, there will be a "vocal group" that sing at the moon in dissent. No matter what there won't be 100% that are happy.
And if the Costco does manage to make it there (please, I'd go) then if you dissent you can ever shop there....ever...because how hypocritical would that be?

There is an old saying and it's just as true today: "Some folks would complain if you hung them with a new rope"....lol.

Wow! This has really devolved to nothing more than personal attacks and insults. I guess it’s true that the last refuge for cowards in online anonymity.

Fortunately, this decision won’t be made on the PW blog. There will be a political campaign and a vote in November. While Costco and Nearon will probably sink tens of thousands of dollars into it to convince people to vote for them we can only hope that democracy in some form will prevail. If not, it will be just one more straw to break the camel’s back of self-government.