CALIFORNIA SITE FIGHT: OFFICIALS COLLECT COMMENTS

Clovis collecting Wal-Mart comments [Fresno (Calif.) Bee]

Clovis officials are collecting letters from residents and others interested in commenting about a draft environmental impact report for a Wal-Mart Supercenter. The deadline to submit a written comment is Monday.

The supercenter, proposed to go on Herndon Avenue between Clovis and Sunnyside avenues, is the anchor of a 500,000-square-foot shopping center that will include Kohl’s, Petco, Ross and Old Navy.

A supercenter includes a Wal-Mart supermarket.

So far, 15 to 20 letters have been received, including nine from one group of residents wanting sound walls installed east of the shopping center to reduce traffic noise, said Ryan Burnett, an associate planner for the city.

In his letter, resident Cliff Raley said the project will cause noise levels that will exceed the city’s standards.

Other neighbors were worried about traffic, road widths and other businesses being forced to compete with Wal-Mart, which could lead to more blight as stores close because they are unable to compete.

Clovis Unified School District officials were concerned about the Sunnyside and Herndon intersection, which is where the district has a continuation school, bus yard and main district offices.

“On paper, it appears the mechanisms are in place to assure the funding of necessary improvements,” wrote Bill McGuire, associate superintendent for Clovis Unified. “However, it will be important to monitor the real-world situation once the project is fully operational.”

He also wrote that the project builder should be responsible for improvements east of Sunnyside along Herndon.

The shopping center is expected to attract up to 19,000 vehicles per day. The increased traffic would exceed San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District smog thresholds, the environmental report said.

Marcy Ruona wrote that with the traffic caused by Wal-Mart, Clovis would not be a healthy city.

Ruona and others wrote about concerns for neighborhood aesthetics. Ed and Linda Cole said, “We are very concerned about how the proposed Wal-Mart could lead to residential property value decline. Clovis has a heritage of being an attractive community and a Wal-Mart superstore just doesn’t fit the character.”

One letter was in favor of the new Wal-Mart: Lorine Howell wrote that it will offer lower prices than other grocery chains in Clovis.

The city will be required to respond to each letter. The letters and responses will become part of the final environmental impact report.

Those who do not write letters will be allowed to comment when the Clovis Planning Commission and City Council conduct hearings this year. No hearing dates have been set.