The Real Story ...
How the Proposed Home Depot in Sunland-Tujunga Affects Everyone and why our community says "No Home Depot in Sunland-Tujunga".
The Community Plan and the Foothill Blvd. Corridor Specific Plan are the City Ordinances that regulate development on Foothill Boulevard in Sunland-Tujunga. The Zoning Administrator, in the public hearing held on January 19, 2007 determined that this Home Depot project must be subject to the regulations of these plans, which include environmental assessment and design standards.
The change of use from K-Mart to a Home Depot is a “project” and requires the full review that the City requires. Home Depot has attempted to skirt this requirement of a full “project permit compliance” review. It is common sense that the magnitude of building improvements a Home Depot requires, as well as the change of use impacts that a home improvement store requires are totally different from the existing K-Mart store --- a general merchandise/variety store. Mom with her three children and a shopping cart compared to forklifts of lumber and cement blocks are just NOT the same. The Sunland-Tujunga community demands the City adhere to its laws.
You Need to Know ….
IMPACT ON TRAFFIC & SAFETY
Traffic Congestion at freeway on and off-ramps and changes to Traffic Patterns will be a burden shared by all of our local communities, not just Sunland/Tujunga, but Shadow Hills, Kagel Canyon and La Tuna Canyon, North Glendale, La Crescenta and La Canada/Flintridge.
Traffic Patterns on Foothill Blvd. (including Sunland Blvd.) will include 18-20 Diesel Truck Deliveries per day with the proposed Home Depot.
Traffic Patterns with the proposed Home Depot (opening at 6AM) will create Heavy Weekday-Morning Contractor Traffic which will disrupt morning commutes and create a potential hazard to schoolchildren (The proposed Home Depot Site is 1 block from Apperson Elementary School).
Traffic Congestion at freeway on and off-ramps will add to early morning commutes.
New traffic patterns and congestion may result in Increased Response Times for Fire, Paramedics, and Police.
IMPACT ON SMALL BUSINESS
Small business closures will result in increased blight across all of our Foothill communities.
Dollars spent at a Home Depot vs. smaller retailers and local businesses will not go back into our local economy and take money out of the community.
INCREASED AIR AND NOISE POLUTION
Early morning diesel truck deliveries, contractor traffic and equipment operation on the site related to loading and unloading will result in significantly increased air and noise pollution which will lower the quality of life throughout Sunland-Tujunga and surrounding communities and additionally, will have a negative impact on property values.
UNFULFILLED NEED FOR A GENERAL MERCHANDISE STORE
The community as a whole has given overwhelming support for a general merchandise store. Our community would be better served by a general merchandise store than a big box hardware store which does not meet the needs of the residents or fit into the infrastructure of the area. With a Home Depot, there will be a continued need to travel to Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, or other areas to shop for much needed general merchandise.
The STNC has arranged for round-trip bus service from North Valley Neighborhood City Hall, 7747 Foothill Blvd., Tujunga on Thursday, June 7. Meet at 3 p.m.
Home Depot has filed an appeal to the Zoning Administrator's Determination to revoke Home Depot's tenant improvement permits at 8040 Foothill Blvd. (former K-Mart store). The appeal will be heard before the North Valley Area Planning Commission. ALL INTERESTED PARTIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND and PARTICIPATE in this very important issue in our community:
Public Hearing before the
North Valley Area Planning Commission
Thursday, June 7, 2007 at 4:30 p.m.
Marvin Braude Center
6262 Van Nuys Blvd., 1st Floor
Van Nuys
For more info visit http://www.stnc.org/HomeDepot.html
and
www.no2homedepot.com
“Be Informed”
