Sprouts Project Cancelled

Economic Development
28

Sprouts is no longer coming to Castro Valley, according to an article published in today’s Castro Valley Forum. The developer of the project, Kin Properties, Inc., cited a recently filed evironmental protest against the project for cancelling the project, according to the Forum.

Sprouts would have been located at the current site of Rite-Aid on Castro Valley Boulevard. Rite-Aid would have occupied a smaller, renovated space at the property along with a third retailer to be determined.

Public interest law firm M.R. Wolfe and Associates of San Francisco filed the protest under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and had previously filed an appeal to the Alameda County Planning Commission in March. The appeal, filed on behalf of Castro Valley resident Cassandra Hunter and denied by the Commission, asserted that the new store “would constitute a substantial intensification of the existing land use, generating significant new impacts relating to traffic, air quality, noise and/or urban decay.”

No discernible public opposition to the project has been encountered during the planning process, on social media, or in letters to the Castro Valley Forum; however, residents in the neighborhood surrounding the Rite-Aid property received flyers from opponents of the Sprouts project.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has targeted Sprouts for its labor practices in previous store openings.

UPDATE: Supervisor Nate Miley’s office provided this statement about the cancelled Sprouts project:

“Supervisor Miley is open and willing to meet with the property owner and the appellant to work out the issues so that the project can continue. He supports Sprouts Farmers Market coming to Castro Valley. The likelihood that another project can happen at this site is high, but he would still like to have Sprouts Farmers Market at the location.”

It strikes me that the developer bailed on the project rather quickly. Is it possible that the environmental protest was just an excuse? I would think that many people living in Castro Valley would have welcomed a market like Sprouts. Seems strange to me that the developer would quit so easily.

My first thought the Sprouts deal was ‘why does Castro Valley need another chain supermarket?’ with two Safeways and a Lucky’s within a mile of each other… What I’ve heard from a lot of residents is that that end of Castro Valley could really use a good upscale thrift shop like ECO Thrift. What the customers save at a second-hand store would go straight to RITE AID on new items like cosmetics and snack food…

In my discussions with Kin Properties, the developer of this project, two themes kept repeating: first, that CV showed itself to be a community and marketplace worthy of deep consideration by “nationally known” retailers, and secondly that had this project been pushed forward past this point, it could easily have taken 3 years to reach a positive conclusion, and considering that, no retailer would suspend its investment that long.

Kin Properties, Inc., Rite Aid and Sprouts worked together for almost 3 years to get to this point, The investment required by all parties, but especially the developer to get the project to this point would not be something they would walk away from without thoroughly evaluating every possible option.

California’s CEQA laws make it very easy and rather inexpensive to challenge development or redevelopment. Great news if environmental factors are your first and largest priority, not so good in cases like this. Our CEQA laws make it somewhat easy for competitors/rivals to derail otherwise desired and beneficial projects.

Kin Properties has said they will be evaluating new alternatives and that the work done by them, Rite-Aid, County Staff and the MAC on this project should enable quick and efficient processing of the next opportunity. The good news in all this is that it is clear CV is on the radar screens of big-project developers and national chains as a very viable marketplace.

I don’t think this is an environmental issue in the least. Follow the money. Chances are it will lead to the UNITED FOOD & COMMERCIAL WORKERS union, Local #5.

I don’t understand why people just don’t get it. Everyone is so upset because they feel like there weren’t give a choice in the matter. They talk about how they choose to not shop at Safeway/Lucky or how they choose to drive to Dublin to shop at Sprouts. So why doesn’t Sprouts or any other business allow their employees to choose to be union or non union? Why will they not even consider hiring someone or even fire someone for saying the word union?? It’s about their bottom line people. You will still pay the price (sometimes more) for products they sell and yet their employees will get nothing. Why are we living in such a me society? Corporate american has done a great job at making us point fingers at each other instead of who we should be pointing the finger at. You all are giving unions way too much credit. Maybe they should just build a Walmart Supercenter there… that would bring lots of jobs lots of options and lots of new shoppers to the community… and the competition for your dollars would be fierce. Ask other small communities that let them in.

Chris – Have there been attempts to organize Sprouts? I haven’t found anything that directly speaks to the issue. I’d be interested in doing a follow up post that speaks to specific labor concerns.

I think you answered your own question – 2 Safeways? Boring traditional Safeway. Sprouts is an updated shopping experience and is welcom in this neighborhood. I live on the adjacent street Marshall and everyone in the neighborhood wants something done about the ugly right aid parking lot, people sleep in their cars and motor homes and we have a heavy homeless population who live under the freeway in an encampment. A thrift store is a decent idea! Have you been inside this rite aid? It’s massive. Plenty of room for 2-3 large stores in one. Plus the inside of the store is stuck in the early 80’s which is the last time it got a facelift. It’s in bad shape. Time for 2022 to realize something nicer and that drives community.

We need to find out how we, as citizens of Castro Valley, can have a voice. If there is a way for someone to file suit against a project, then there must be a way that we can provide a show of force in favor of a project. Does anyone know how we can go about doing this?

…and pay City taxes to fund the building of a City Hall, staff, …

We already do pay taxes. They just go to Alameda County instead. CV has a pretty solid tax base. It’s a misnomer that you have to develop your way into being a city. There are plenty of communities in California that are predominantly residential that are cities. The issue is how our locally-generated taxes would not be reallocated back to a City of CV because of a quirk in State law that has effectively shut down the possibility of any municipal incorporation in California.
https://castrovalleymatters.org/2015/04/06/cityhood-lost/

First, I really wanted Sprout’s in Castro Valley.

Second, if it’s not Sprouts then whose to say the next project won’t be derailed by other (outside) interests?

I would also like to have a voice in this matter, but like you am at a loss where to start.

Boycott Safeway in order to “encourage” the union to stop it’s actions?

I don’t shop at Safeway much and a lot of the people that were looking forward to Sprout’s coming probably don’t either but perhaps broader support of this could be generated….?

IN FAVOR OF SPROUTS…I LIVE ACROSS THE STREET FROM RITE AID…AND DID NOT RECEIVE ANY NOTICE OF OPPOSITION TO THIS……BUT I AM IN FAVOR OF SPROUTS OPENING IN THIS SPACE ..IT WOULD BE AN ASSET TO CASTRO VALLEY..

Public interest? NOT! We are surrounded by Safeways, with NO alternative- I’d love to have a Sprouts rahter than drive to Dublin

Have I completely missed a page or 2 ?? How and when did ‘Sprouts’ -“FARMERS MARKET” become an issue ?

Absolutely, I’m for Sprout’s in Castro Valley! Now I ave to go to San Ramon or Dublin. Also, it would
be good for Rite Aid; now it is a bleak–too–large store that is uninviting to shop in. So get real!
Safeway is obviously behind this. They shouldn’t have the last say. Do something, leaders!

I sympathize with the disappointment of everyone who was looking forward to Sprouts coming to Castro Valley. That property is underused (an eyesore, really) and we all love more choices in where to shop. It also seems (from what I’ve read) that there may have been a misuse of the Environmental Impact liltigating process, in what may actually be more of a labor dispute than anything. If so, that would be unfortunate and not right.

However, I wish that our concerned citizens would look just a little bit at the ethics and values of this company, which they are in such a hurry to bring into our community. Sprouts and its main supplier, UNFI, have both been targets of organizing drives by their employees, which they have resisted by firing workers and other illegal practices. http://www.examiner.com/article/community-protests-opening-of-bakersfield-sprouts-farmers-market

I love fresh vegetables, but I also love being in a community which cares about its people. I am lucky to have worked in a union environment for most of my career, and had certain protections, which fewer and fewer people in our society will have, like a decent salary, due process for discipline, and a pension. Cashiers at Sprouts make about $10/hr. Is that really fair?

Good point — I know I wouldn’t want a Hobby Lobby in town, because they refuse to provide their employees with comprehensive health care.

Well, Trader Joe’s is non-union and is arguably the busiest business in Castro Valley. Nobody filed “environmental lawsuits” when they came into town in the late 90’s and revitalized a building that was being used as a gym at the time.

That is true, Michael Baldwin. I don’t pretend to understand exactly why this happened the way it did. I am not personally involved. I think there may be a more active campaign to organize Sprouts, which has been thwarted But, like you, I am hoping to hear more….

I honestly think the the only reason Safeway failed to use their powerful financial leverage to protest Trader Joe’s presence in Castro Valley is because they had no idea that TJ would be so successful. It is almost unbelievable that Safeway was allowed to have two grocery stores in such a small town…you would think they would be satisfied with that. Now they have the audacity to abuse their power to “block” Sprouts….really…….

I live in Palomares Hills. I support the project to improve the RiteAid property and introduce a new grocery retailer in Castro Valley.

We need Sprouts Farmers Market, residents of Castro Valley want choices,
Competition brings better products, better service and lower prices.

You sound like an advertisement for Sprouts. I think this is getting way overblown…

No Julie…Al is not advertising for Sprouts…he is voicing his opinion, a basic, human right. We pay good money to live in Castro Valley and should be offered shopping choices….you know……like other places in the Bay Area do.
Safeway dominates the grocery industry in our small town….it is not right….they have gained way to much power…..

I think the sprouts would help increase the CV appearance in general. The real estate value in the nearby area would be increased as it is a very quality store so residence should benifit from a brand new market built nearby. It should be voted by the entire CV, not just ppl who live around and simply think it would affect the traffic and their streets. So sad that they are leaving this nice located city to be so NOT well developed. This is probably why the house value is maintained the way it is as always, coz ppl don’t see it in a big picture!!! The building looks like a eyesore on the street, it makes worse without Sprouts!!!!

I was and still am 100% pro-Sprouts. I hate Safeway and these back room alley meetings with one announcement on the news are nonsense. I am now completely avoiding Safeway and this should be the resident’s voice, all the resident’s. Not some union / non-union BS fight. If i ever get the opportunity to voice my opinion where it matter and not just on some chat string, i will. I will be more than happy to become a City, and sign petitions for bringing CV more choices. Hayward has more of a downtown than we do. It’s a complete joke….and because of this kind of political crap, i will spend my $100k a year somewhere other than here with the exception of mom and pop store, like Al’s, Lucca’s, etc. And i’ve bee union and non-union and a business owner and an employee in my life. Castro Valley needs expansion that is headed in this direction. I will go to Sprouts (Dublin), Al’s market, Trader Joe’s and ANYWHERE else that Safeway is NOT. And, before the haters start hating, i have many family and friends who work for the giant S and they are miserable. They treat their employees like garbage. I’d like to have a public meeting with the union rep who was on the news that sad day….i received more notices regarding a condo by 238, and NEVER NOT ONCE any opposition to Sprouts. I call complete Bulls*t!

More comments and a quesition in case anyone with any power to make a difference is reading the valuable input people have taken the time to provide here.

> The CV community deserves to have choices (that are close to home) which provide GOOD shopping and GOOD restaurants. We have multiple areas that should be developed to provide us what is lacking. Safeway and Lucky are not choices. There are 2 of the same. Restaurants are low end fast food – again no choice.
> We pay plenty of taxes that seems to me in my limited knowledge of tax distribution doesn’t appear to go into our community. Compare our community with pleasanton, dublin, san ramon and many more across the bay.
> Where do we voice our thoughts and opinions to whomever has the power to drive change?

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