pages: PlanningBoard/2008-08-11.pdf, 11
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PlanningBoard | 2008-08-11 | 11 | per delivery. Trucks will not be still with engines idling. Kohls is very excited to be in Alameda and wants to be the best neighbors possible. The extended hours of operation are being requested for the convenience of customers. In response to an inquiry by the Board, Mr. Davis stated that deliveries would take place between 7am and 10pm and that unloading would be done by hand not with a forklift. He also stated the store hours of operation would be 7am:10pm weekdays, 7am:11pm weekends, and holiday shopping hours would take place in November and December from 7am to midnight. Tom & Dori DeTurk, owners of Loards Ice Cream at Alameda Town Center, spoke in support of the proposal. They stated that 3 years ago the South Shore Mall was downsizing and the work Harsh has done on the Centre has been nothing short of a miracle. They are not traffic/EIR experts, but believe Harsh is a good corporate citizen and easy to work with. Dori has seen three generations of kids at the ice cream store, and has enjoyed working with Harsh, and would like to see them move forward and bring in Kohls as a good anchor store to help small independent businesses succeed. Fred Reid spoke in opposition to the project. Two yeas ago he submitted "Letter 17" with three very specific questions regarding numbers used for baseline and cumulative analysis. He has been working in this area for many decades, and presented specific discrepancies he found between the city observations and other sources of data. His comments were answered with procedural statements. He believes the city is wrong. He does not understand how Dowlings numbers for traffic on Otis Drive in 2003 can be less than those in this report. Phil Freitas spoke in favor of the project. He is impressed with the transformation Harsch has done to the centre and is happy about its revitalization. He urged the city to certify the EIR and move the project forward. Susan Decker spoke in favor of the project. She is glad the centre is not near a freeway since it means people can walk to it. She is happy to have the business so close, and would like to see that progress continue. The area is becoming more vibrant but more can be done. She has seen Harsch respond to accommodate bike and pedestrian access. She is sorry for people who live right across from the Centre, but these neighbors should expect an increased amount of noise living next to a shopping mall. Michael Krueger, a member of the Transportation Commission, spoke in favor of the proposal. He wanted to provide follow up to Mr. Knox-White's comments, specifically comment #32-8 trying to put pedestrian/biking amenities that sometimes requires reducing space for car parking stalls. He urged the planning board to recommend parking reduction if it can help accommodate pedestrians and bikes. This is a different type of shopping center being pedestrian and bike friendly. It is one of the most accessible malls he has ever seen, and that is why he is suggesting a further reduction of parking. He suggests having sidewalks on both sides of the street when the traffic signal is installed. As an Alameda resident, he is very happy with the changes so far, Page 11 of 21 | PlanningBoard/2008-08-11.pdf |