NORTH BAY BOH EM I AN | JUNE 8-14, 20 1 1 | BO H E M I AN.COM
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BOHEMIAN
Rhapsodies Sprouting Up An Arizona grocery chain wrestles into Santa Rosa BY NICA POZNANOVICH
T
he term “farmers market” immediately conjures images of wooden crates full of Gravensteins, verdant greens brimming over the edge of foldable tables and conversations with the people who grew them. It is also the name of the next big-box grocery store trying to call Santa Rosa home. Sprouts Farmers Market is a chain of natural food stores based out of Phoenix, Ariz. It has submitted a request to amend the city’s general plan to allow for a 30,000square-foot store at the corner of Mendocino Avenue and Bicentennial Way. Santa Rosa Community Market needs your help to show the planning commission that the corporate interests of these out-of-towners does not merit a change in the general plan.
A memorandum dated May 3, 2011, states that “the project proponents indicate that the proposed general plan amendment will allow a specialty grocery store not currently found in the surrounding market.” However, there are currently seven grocery stores within two miles of the proposed site: Safeway, Pacific Market, Community Market, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Lucky’s and Traverso’s. Three of these stores are locally owned, and two are technically natural-food stores. Organic produce and other natural products can be purchased at all of them. Despite these facts, the memorandum states, “Of particular note is the high demand for fruits and vegetables in this geographic area.” A Sprouts store at this location would only deprive other parts of the city access to healthy food and shift market share from existing businesses to itself, instantly negating the argument for increasing sales tax. For a detailed description of other issues please visit www.srcommunitymarket.com. There is a petition to sign and a sample letter we ask you to send to our city council representatives. We hope you will join us in our efforts to show the planning commission that there are no community needs being meet in this proposal. Please join us June 9 at 4pm to fill the seats of the Santa Rosa City Council chamber and ensure that our message is heard. Nica Poznanovich is the outreach coordinator for the Santa Rosa Community Market. We welcome your contribution. To have your topical essay of 350 words considered for publication, write openmic@bohemian.com.
Barella, ella, ella, eh, eh, eh
Kudos to Peter Byrne and the Bohemian for running the investigative article about Petaluma’s Theatre District project (“Basin Street Blues,” June 1). It was well-researched and to the point, and is an example of the need for quality journalism in the community. Though I am glad that Petaluma finally opened a movie theater as part of the Theatre District, the way the developers left the city and its residents with the excessive costs is deplorable. Does no one remember that at the same time, KFC was offering to repair Petaluma’s potholes in exchange for advertising on the asphalt?
DENNIS EMERSON Petaluma
Why isn’t this story front page in the Press Democrat? Let me guess: Mr. Barella’s connections in Petaluma politics. Maybe someone like Mike Kerns, who was on the board of supervisors at the time of the vote for the quarry. Has anyone looked into that connection? Or Mike O’Brien?
enough to ride with me again. For now, I’ll drive her to childcare and ride from there. Ride on, Sarah!
SARA SUNDQUIST Redding
One Sick Country I know a traitor when I see one. It’s someone who doesn’t believe in paying taxes to support the common good. Republicans and many of their cowering Democratic brothers and sisters believe that they should not be responsible for the general welfare of their fellow citizens. These are the same people who have no trouble asking us (the poor, working class and middle class) to die for their “freedoms.” Of course, it’s really about their economic freedom to exploit us and the rest of the world. Apparently, our lives are a lot less valuable and precious than their dollars. It’s a very sick bunch of people who believe that dollars are worth more than people—and this has become one really sick country. It’s difficult for me to comprehend the moral blindness and stone-cold hearts of those who do not realize that the well-being of the country is tied to the well-being of all its people. So from now on, join me in calling these people exactly what they are—economic traitors to the United States of America.
SUSAN LAMONT Santa Rosa
‘BIRDIE’ Petaluma
Looking Sweet on the Seat Sarah Hadler’s article (“A Bicycle Built for Two,” June 1) articulated exactly how I felt when I was pregnant last year and riding my bicycle. So many people were concerned for me and my baby and couldn’t understand why and how I was still riding while pregnant. I felt great and didn’t see any reason to stop (I was able to pedal on my due date!). My midwife thought it was great and validated that I was building immunity for my baby. I did, in fact, have a healthy girl, and can’t wait until she is old
Dept. of Burden of Proof After running Peter Byrne’s story on North Bay Construction founder John Barella’s ties to Basin Street Properties (“Basin Street Blues,” June 1), we were pleased to see Mr. Barella, who did not return calls for our article, finally respond to the press. In this week’s Press Democrat (“Petaluma Urged to Investigate Theatre District Construction Deals,” June 7), Mr. Barella has a single statement, directed at the Bohemian: “All I can say [to them] is ‘prove it.’” Prove it?