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Citizen Shumway on Big Box
       Consequences
        Open Statement
              To
      Gresham City Council
Contents
     Current Council Responsibility
     Critical Elements of Responsibility
     Gresham’s “Buy Local Program”
     Transportation Impact
     Big Box, Big Oversaturation
     Big Box Bottom Line Consequences
     Metro’s Role
     Gresham’s Big Box Need?
     Best Practices
     Summary Recommendations to City Council


2   Big Box and the Common Good                 5/14/2010
Current Council Responsibility
     City Council needs to act now to resolve major zoning flaw in
        Community Commercial Districts
       Huge waste of time to re-educate new City Council
       Citizens were promised by City Council five years ago a “Big Box
        Code” with a size limitation
       We were also promised a zone change for the property at
        182/Powell and utilize this property in a more pedestrian
        oriented means since Powell is a Transit Corridor and the property
        surrounds neighborhoods in every direction as well as several
        schools
       Citizen get the feeling that Council would rather they go away
        rather than take a stand on this issue.

3   Big Box and the Common Good                                    5/14/2010
Critical Elements of Issue
     Building size
     Economic impact study
     Environmental impact study
     Public health and safety
     City needs to do own objective study and not depend of now
       recognized “flawed” studies of large retailers




4   Big Box and the Common Good                           5/14/2010
Gresham’s “Buy Local Program”
     Gresham should support the buy local program in every way
      possible.
     One city study showed 16% of Target’s revenue in the form
      of wages stayed in the community verses 32% of locally
      owned retailers in the form of wages, profits, as well as
      goods purchased from other local business
     Gresham’s community quality of life and future livability is
      already endangered by surrounding jurisdictional successful
      recruitment of big box retail discount stores along its
      borders. What is the financial impact on Gresham’s economic
      well-being?


5   Big Box and the Common Good                             5/14/2010
Transportation Impact
     Even through Gresham is the fourth largest city in Oregon,
      we do not have freeways
     Our arterial/grid streets are already overloaded and getting
      worse
     The infrastructural projected maintenance cost are already at
      levels that are not sustainable
     The hidden costs of these large retailers of city provided
      services for police, fire and community social services are
      never detailed



6   Big Box and the Common Good                              5/14/2010
Big Box, Big Oversaturation
     We are over loaded with big box stores
     Within 6 miles of my home there are 4 Home Depots,4
       Winco’s, 2 Costco’s, 3 Wal-Marts, 3 Office Depots, 3
       Staples, 2 Office Max, 3 Best Buys, 2 Bed, Bath and Beyond,
       4 Ross Stores, 3 Marshall’s, 4 Targets, 10 Fred Meyers, 2 run-
       down K-Marts, too many Walgreens, Rite Aids, Safeway’s &
       Albertson’s.




7   Big Box and the Common Good                               5/14/2010
Big Box Bottom Line Consequences
     What has this cost our city and region?
         Significant loss of small local businesses
         Significant loss of jobs and livable wages
         Closed and relocated stores
         Vacant big box stores (QVC at 182 & Powell)
         Increased traffic
         Reduced Safety and Health
         Increased social services
         Increased blight
         Redesign product to be “cheap” and “short lived”


8   Big Box and the Common Good                              5/14/2010
Metro’s Website Statement
     “Cities and developers around the country are
       realizing the long-term benefits of mixed use
       neighborhoods that combine housing,
       employment, retail, cultural and recreational
       activities in a walkable environment that is well-
       served by transit.”




9   Big Box and the Common Good                      5/14/2010
Metro’s Role
      Metro mandated in the last century higher density, homes on
        smaller lots, mass transit, growth boundaries to stop urban
        sprawl and cut down on traffic. It was suppose to bring
        people back to the neighborhoods, create more pedestrian
        friendly environments and support more small local
        businesses, but it did not have the elected leadership courage
        to address the issues of big box stores and their impact on
        community economy and quality of life even though they also
        promised to do so.



10   Big Box and the Common Good                               5/14/2010
Gresham’s Big Box Need?
      There is not another type of big box store needed in
        Gresham
          Clackamas Town Center, Lloyd Center and Gresham Station are
           not far away
          Macy’s or Nordstrom’s would be here if they thought it feasible.
          Former Mayor Gussie McRoberts tried hard to recruit them to
           Gresham Station and I am sure they were invited to the dog
           track as well by Mayor “Big Box” They are looking for new
           markets not one already oversaturated by other big boxes, being
           smart retailers



11   Big Box and the Common Good                                    5/14/2010
Best Practices
      Looking across America, in the last two years, cities everywhere
       are taking a stand, San Bernardino, Ca, Seattle, Silverthorne, Co,
       Plaistow, NH, Blacksburg, Va, Sunland-Tujunga, Ca, Bloomington,
       Mn, Salt Lake City, Inglewood, Ca and Redlands, Ca, just to name
       a few have rejected, Targets, Wal-Marts, Home Depots, Super Big
       Box Malls, put size restrictions, require impact studies or just
       plain found land was more valuable to attract higher paying jobs
      Other findings: California Environmental Impact Act shows a
       negative job gain as big box stores cannibalize sales from existing
       business and have made predatory attempts to destroy competition
       as they can operate a store at a loss on certain products to drive
       out local small businesses. Some jurisdictions now require
       financial commitments to cover abandon vacant big boxes
       redevelopment from initial owners


12   Big Box and the Common Good                                   5/14/2010
Summary Recommendations
      Define big box as a retail store over 25,000 square feet
      Location of big box store near an freeway off-ramp
      Require a full economic/environmental study on affected
         community by the city but financed by the retailer and or property
         owner.
        Have provision for maintaining vacated property
        Support “Buy Local Program” and commit to small business
         development
        Gresham needs living wage jobs and large parcel of land should
         support that.
        Rezone all community commercial districts and limit store size

13   Big Box and the Common Good                                    5/14/2010

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C:\Fakepath\Shumway On Big Box Consequences[1][1]

  • 1. Citizen Shumway on Big Box Consequences Open Statement To Gresham City Council
  • 2. Contents  Current Council Responsibility  Critical Elements of Responsibility  Gresham’s “Buy Local Program”  Transportation Impact  Big Box, Big Oversaturation  Big Box Bottom Line Consequences  Metro’s Role  Gresham’s Big Box Need?  Best Practices  Summary Recommendations to City Council 2 Big Box and the Common Good 5/14/2010
  • 3. Current Council Responsibility  City Council needs to act now to resolve major zoning flaw in Community Commercial Districts  Huge waste of time to re-educate new City Council  Citizens were promised by City Council five years ago a “Big Box Code” with a size limitation  We were also promised a zone change for the property at 182/Powell and utilize this property in a more pedestrian oriented means since Powell is a Transit Corridor and the property surrounds neighborhoods in every direction as well as several schools  Citizen get the feeling that Council would rather they go away rather than take a stand on this issue. 3 Big Box and the Common Good 5/14/2010
  • 4. Critical Elements of Issue  Building size  Economic impact study  Environmental impact study  Public health and safety  City needs to do own objective study and not depend of now recognized “flawed” studies of large retailers 4 Big Box and the Common Good 5/14/2010
  • 5. Gresham’s “Buy Local Program”  Gresham should support the buy local program in every way possible.  One city study showed 16% of Target’s revenue in the form of wages stayed in the community verses 32% of locally owned retailers in the form of wages, profits, as well as goods purchased from other local business  Gresham’s community quality of life and future livability is already endangered by surrounding jurisdictional successful recruitment of big box retail discount stores along its borders. What is the financial impact on Gresham’s economic well-being? 5 Big Box and the Common Good 5/14/2010
  • 6. Transportation Impact  Even through Gresham is the fourth largest city in Oregon, we do not have freeways  Our arterial/grid streets are already overloaded and getting worse  The infrastructural projected maintenance cost are already at levels that are not sustainable  The hidden costs of these large retailers of city provided services for police, fire and community social services are never detailed 6 Big Box and the Common Good 5/14/2010
  • 7. Big Box, Big Oversaturation  We are over loaded with big box stores  Within 6 miles of my home there are 4 Home Depots,4 Winco’s, 2 Costco’s, 3 Wal-Marts, 3 Office Depots, 3 Staples, 2 Office Max, 3 Best Buys, 2 Bed, Bath and Beyond, 4 Ross Stores, 3 Marshall’s, 4 Targets, 10 Fred Meyers, 2 run- down K-Marts, too many Walgreens, Rite Aids, Safeway’s & Albertson’s. 7 Big Box and the Common Good 5/14/2010
  • 8. Big Box Bottom Line Consequences  What has this cost our city and region?  Significant loss of small local businesses  Significant loss of jobs and livable wages  Closed and relocated stores  Vacant big box stores (QVC at 182 & Powell)  Increased traffic  Reduced Safety and Health  Increased social services  Increased blight  Redesign product to be “cheap” and “short lived” 8 Big Box and the Common Good 5/14/2010
  • 9. Metro’s Website Statement  “Cities and developers around the country are realizing the long-term benefits of mixed use neighborhoods that combine housing, employment, retail, cultural and recreational activities in a walkable environment that is well- served by transit.” 9 Big Box and the Common Good 5/14/2010
  • 10. Metro’s Role  Metro mandated in the last century higher density, homes on smaller lots, mass transit, growth boundaries to stop urban sprawl and cut down on traffic. It was suppose to bring people back to the neighborhoods, create more pedestrian friendly environments and support more small local businesses, but it did not have the elected leadership courage to address the issues of big box stores and their impact on community economy and quality of life even though they also promised to do so. 10 Big Box and the Common Good 5/14/2010
  • 11. Gresham’s Big Box Need?  There is not another type of big box store needed in Gresham  Clackamas Town Center, Lloyd Center and Gresham Station are not far away  Macy’s or Nordstrom’s would be here if they thought it feasible.  Former Mayor Gussie McRoberts tried hard to recruit them to Gresham Station and I am sure they were invited to the dog track as well by Mayor “Big Box” They are looking for new markets not one already oversaturated by other big boxes, being smart retailers 11 Big Box and the Common Good 5/14/2010
  • 12. Best Practices  Looking across America, in the last two years, cities everywhere are taking a stand, San Bernardino, Ca, Seattle, Silverthorne, Co, Plaistow, NH, Blacksburg, Va, Sunland-Tujunga, Ca, Bloomington, Mn, Salt Lake City, Inglewood, Ca and Redlands, Ca, just to name a few have rejected, Targets, Wal-Marts, Home Depots, Super Big Box Malls, put size restrictions, require impact studies or just plain found land was more valuable to attract higher paying jobs  Other findings: California Environmental Impact Act shows a negative job gain as big box stores cannibalize sales from existing business and have made predatory attempts to destroy competition as they can operate a store at a loss on certain products to drive out local small businesses. Some jurisdictions now require financial commitments to cover abandon vacant big boxes redevelopment from initial owners 12 Big Box and the Common Good 5/14/2010
  • 13. Summary Recommendations  Define big box as a retail store over 25,000 square feet  Location of big box store near an freeway off-ramp  Require a full economic/environmental study on affected community by the city but financed by the retailer and or property owner.  Have provision for maintaining vacated property  Support “Buy Local Program” and commit to small business development  Gresham needs living wage jobs and large parcel of land should support that.  Rezone all community commercial districts and limit store size 13 Big Box and the Common Good 5/14/2010