All Points Bulletins

BIG-BOX RETAIL (Mar 15, 04)

THE STATUS (Oct 27, 03)

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Big-box retail means one tenant occupying more than 100,000 sqft in one building, selling a wide range of items. The K-Mart and Target stores are local examples. Sometimes two big boxes are near one another resulting in a so called "power center". Big-box retail is growing, in order to compete with Wal-Mart.
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The big boxes compete among themselves and with regional malls, for sales of the same lines of goods to the same kinds of buyers. The big-box concept is that one huge store can take business from a local or regional mall. It's a natural evolution in retailing, keeping prices low and profits high by cutting overhead costs.
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Big boxes, especially Wal-Mart, are now adding groceries to their inventory, which alarms cities and counties. Groceries are necessities, that should be located close to home. Many people, including disabled people, take transit to grocery stores. If big boxes drive away community stores, supplies will be difficult or impossible for transit riders and disabled persons to buy.
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The LU&H Committee heard an information item on July 23 about big boxes and their effect on local economies. Manager Report 03-151 was presented to the Committee at that time. You can get that report (in .pdf format) on the city's website.
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THE LU&H DECISION (Dec 5, 2003)

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On December 3, 2003, the LU&H Committee considered a draft ordinance to regulate big boxes. The Committee voted 3-2 against the staff recommendation, which effectively allows big box stores anywhere in San Diego that the zoning permits them. The Planning Commission will review an amended draft in early 2004, and the Council will take it up in the Spring.
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THE STATUS (Mar 15, 04)

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The Big Box item was presented to the Community Planners Committee (CPC) in February. Staff recommended approval of restrictions on the size of certain stores. [Remember to check the "Council Organization" page on the APB Archive Website to recall what LU&H means.] Staff were pushing a recommendation that they knew certain council members wanted. By a vote of 18-1-0, the CPC opposed the staff recommendation (that is opposed restrictions on Big Box Retail). The item went to Planning Commission March 4, and goes to LU&H on March 24.
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It is contentious. There is evidence for and against Big Box retail stores. Many people think this particular effort is aimed at the WalMart stores which have announced they will build a number of super stores (150,000 sqft or more) throughout the U.S.
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