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Atascadero Walmart approved

June 27, 2012

By KAREN VELIE

Following more than two hours of public comment, the Atascadero City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve the construction of a Walmart and another shopping center dubbed the Annex near the intersection of El Camino Real and Del Rio Road.

Of the 60 speakers, 37 spoke in favor of Walmart noting the jobs the mega store could bring to the area and the increased shopping opportunities.

Opponents, 23 in all, primarily argued against the city partially funding roundabouts and related  road work estimated to cost $4.5 million. As part of a cost-sharing plan, Walmart agreed to pay about $2.2 million, with the city covering the remainder.

As the result of Tuesday’s approval, a Walmart could open as early as 2014.


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Coming soon to Atascadero:


http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/sex-inside-kansas-walmart-587324


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Before Walmart bought the property who was the owner? Who profited from the real estate transaction for the adjacent lot? I notice Keith Mathias is no longer with the Compass (formerly Rottman group)? Who profited from this transaction?


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Nancy, rest in peace, I know it wasn’t Grigger Jones.


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Then who was it?


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Yea, yippee! Now I can buy a cheap computer for my daughter and my wife and for my grandson that lasts as long as any computer does, But a lot cheaper. Great news. I hope to get a welcome to my store job. I will dance and sing to make minimum wage. Last time I worked for anyone the minimum wage was $1.25 per hour. Surprisingly enough we lived fine on my wages.


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I remember Cornets, Sprouse Reitz, Benos, Rileys. None of them survived in Atown. Walmart was not the blame.


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Yea and people here complain about Wal-Mart and selling junk and being junking looking. With the exception of Riley’s the rest were a dump.


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No, Danika. Walmart was not to blame. Incorporation was.

If you remember, during the period Atascadero had Cornets, Sprouse Reitz, Benos, Rileys – along with Western Auto and Virgils – the perceptions of Atascadero and Paso were reversed. Atascadero had the attractive places to shop or hang out while Paso was the place to go if you felt like slumming.

Then Atascadero incorporated with dum-dums at the helm and its downtown died while Paso Robles built a nice downtown area and became the city Atascadero would like to have been.

Paso envy remains deep in A-town.


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Obviously none of you must go to KMart (which is doing quite well in Arroyo Grande despite the fact that WalMart is right up the road), Target, Kohl’s, Miner’s, Osh, CVS, Rite Aide, etc. They all sell from China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Honduas, etc. HELLO, we don’t make anything anymore, we import, import, import. How many people in this community buy outside of Atascadero, come on down, be honest! There is nothing here but one store (KMart), 3 nurseries, 3 hardware stores, and two drug stores. We cannot substain outselves without a tax base and that is a reality. I think the project will be a big improvement in the end for Atascadero as we need revenue. I don’t want the zoo to close, police not on the streets, fire trucks/men in the firehouse, etc. because I can’t pay more taxes on my retirement pay and I don’t think anyone else wants to see a local tax imposed either. Yes, it is about the money whether you are for it or against it because of your personal interests. Me personally, As a native SLOian, I remember when Melanie Billings was Mayor and didn’t want the Madonna shopping center because it would destroy downtown. Anyone been there lately? I remember when Beno’s was located where the Atascadero Police Dept and where Kohl’s is currently in SLO and it could not be supported by the community at that time. Times change and sadly, we must change too! I remember when JC Penny’s, Wards, Sears, Woolworth and National Dollar Stores were all located in downtown SLO. Now, look at all the junk being sold. It’s called CAPITALISM and CHANGE does happen and it has arrived in Atascadero and I think for the better in these difficult times. Thank you City Council. Planning Commission, WalMart and to all the community who participated in this issue, those who supported it and those who opposed it, to make it the best plan possibly for the community-at-large. Let us now move forward and embrace the change.


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Well said.


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“Let us now move forward and embrace the change.” I think you forgot to add: “We won’t worry about how to pay for all of the traffic control issues until Cal-Trans slaps us with a huge bill for a complete overpass reconstruction, and then we will all cry about “big-gummint” telling us local yokels what we have to do.” Good luck with that.


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Will there be issues, of course. Will there be benefits, of course. Los Osos Valley overpass in San Luis was never designed to handle the traffic it does. It was build before ANYTHING was on Los Osos Valley Road. It was built before anything was built on Broad St where people now take off on Los Osos Vally Road, go to Higuera, over to Tank Farm and then to Broad not to mention Target, Olive Garden, Navy, Home Depot, Costco, Petco, Staples, Health Food, Bev Mo, TJ Max, Honda, Sunset, etc. Yes, some improvements have been made on Los Osos Valley Road but it is the SAME OVERPASS. We will survive, drive a little more carefully, and yet, it might take a few extra mintues, but then, we live in Paradise. The jobs, tax revenues and the services provides will offset it. Too bad they aren’t union jobs which seems to be the biggest argument. They aren’t, won’t be, and everyone will move on;, it’s called democracy and capitalism. Don’t shop there!!!


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Does anyone know if WalMart used their well practiced south-of-the-border motivation tactics?


I realize this would be unlikely given the high ethical standards practiced by the Atascadero city administrators.


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Read Barbara Ehrenreich’s “Nickel and Dimed” …On ( Not ) Getting By in America.


Written over a decade ago, and things have only become worse since.


Wal-Junk exploits poverty-wage employees and treats most of them like dirt.

Even slaves in the Old South had it better, because they had a place to stay, food, and at least some medical care.


Anyone that is so daft that they repeat the Wal-Junk myths about jobs should talk with people that had the misfortune to work for them at one point.


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“Slaves in the Old South had it better”? Yeah, you’re a voice of reason weighing in…


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You’ll fit right in with the Fascist paradigm.


Have fun with the ‘knock-off’ party when civilization re-asserts


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Walmart bringing “JOBS” ????


Whoa — those mobile pot dispensaries must be working overtime in Atascaderoville


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