A temporary ordinance restricting big-box retailers from moving
in alongside the rustic shops of San Juan Bautista could be made
permanent
– prohibiting big businesses from taking away the town’s quaint
ambiance, according to city officials
San Jaun Bautista – A temporary ordinance restricting big-box retailers from moving in alongside the rustic shops of San Juan Bautista could be made permanent – prohibiting big businesses from taking away the town’s quaint ambiance, according to city officials.
“(Box stores are) seen as being the antithesis of San Juan Bautista’s character and values,” he said. “It’s nice not to be inundated with all that in a small, historical city.”
An emergency ordinance was adopted in December of 2002 that placed a suspension on approving applications for new large-scale retail businesses and restaurants when concern erupted over the possible building of a Wal-Mart and Subway sandwich shop in San Juan, said City Manager Larry Cain. The ordinance is set to expire in two months
Cain said the ordinance garnered a lot of public support two years ago with residents speaking in favor of keeping San Juan’s “village feeling” and in preserving its historical nature, according to council minutes when the ordinance was originally passed.
No city council members returned phone calls Monday.
Now that the ordinance is about to expire, the planning commission is set to make a recommendation to the city council at its meeting tonight on whether to approve it
permanently or let it go by the way-side, said Dan De Vries, planning commission chairman.
De Vries said he’s in favor of continuing the ordinance because large-scale businesses could have a serious effect on parking and traffic issues within the small city depending on the location, and it could negatively impact San Juan’s premier money maker – tourism.
“San Juan is seen by tourists as being a place that’s free of that – that’s what they see in many other communities in California,” he said. “It’s nice to go to a town that doesn’t have a strip center of Starbucks and Jamba Juice.”
The item came before the planning commission last month, but was continued because De Vries was absent from the meeting and the commission wanted the full body to vote on it, said Commissioner George Dias. Over the past several months, Dias talked to a number of people around town to get a better feel of what the public thought about big-box retailers making a home in San Juan, he said.
Half the people he talked to were still in favor of the ordinance, and the rest thought that if big businesses wanted to come to the Mission City they should be able to, he said.
“But I talked to tourists and they said, ‘Don’t do it – that’s why we’re here,'” Dias said. “One lady from Los Banos said she comes to San Juan to get out of Los Banos because that’s what they did over there.”
Dias is in favor of implementing a permanent ordinance because the town’s dilapidated infrastructure and minimal public services can’t handle the strain of large-scale businesses.
If the ordinance is adopted, the city council could amend it years down the road when the town is better equipped to handle it, he said.
“At this time it’s best for us,” Dias said. “I hate to say it but I don’t want to see us turn into Hollister and have (box stores) run away with everything.”
The issue should make it to the city council in December, and because the ordinance expires at the end of that month Cain said there may be a gap between a permanent ordinance being approved and the temporary one running out.
“If somebody’s real fast they could make an application, but whether they have time to process it is another question,” he said. “There’s no reason to have (box stores) here – we don’t have the demographic to justify it. Nobody’s going to come here to go to the Wal-Mart. From a practical standpoint it just doesn’t make sense.”
Cain said he believes the ordinance will pass when it comes before the council table for a second time because while the year is different, the overall feeling is still the same.
“San Juan is very strong about no growth and I think they’ll stick to that,” he said.
The public is welcome to comment on the issue at the San Juan Bautista Planning Commission meeting held tonight at 7pm at City Hall.
Erin Musgrave covers public safety and the city of San Juan Bautista for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or
em*******@fr***********.com
