1,562 / 52.4% Yes votes ...... 1,419 / 47.6% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

(2) amends the Gateway/101 Corridor Specific Plan to allow an increase in square footage of General Commercial use, an increase in floor area ratio, an increase in height, an increase in building design flexibility, and allows multilevel parking to allow for regional retail use such as an IKEA store?

• This ordinance would re-zone to `General Commercial (C-2)' a 10.5 acre site in Phase 2 of the Ravenswood 101 Shopping Center. The new zoning would allow for regional retail uses such as the proposed IKEA furniture store. The site is currently zoned `Multi-Family Residential(R-M-2000)' and `Neighborhood Commercial (C-1),' which do not allow for regional retail uses.

• This ordinance would also amend the Gateway/101 Corridor Specific Plan, adopted in 1993, to create development standards that allow increased square footage of `General Commercial' uses, increased floor area ratio and height, building design flexibility, and multi-level parking.

Re-zoning of this 10.5 acre site would bring the zoning into conformity with the City's General Plan designation of `General Commercial' which provides for service-oriented business activities serving a community-wide area and population. The site is also within the Gateway 101 Area, where the General Plan calls for a major sub-regional commercial shopping center.

The current Specific Plan designates this site as within the Promotional Retail Center sub-area known as the Ravenswood 101 Retail Center. This sub-area emphasizes `big box' retail uses that serve a regional area; this area now includes Home Depot, EXPO Design Center, The Good Guys, Office Depot, and Best Buy. The proposed Specific Plan amendments would allow for a larger retail use like an IKEA store.

If adopted, this initiative ordinance would go into effect immediately and be binding on the City. Because IKEA Properties, Inc. has received all other necessary discretionary approvals for its proposed home furnishings store, IKEA would be entitled to proceed with its project. If the ordinance is adopted, major changes to the ordinance would need to be approved by the voters. Only minor changes could be made by the City Council.

/s/ Michael Lawson
City Attorney, City of East Palo Alto

City of East Palo Alto

• City Website

KQED-FM 88.5 Public Radio

• Discussion of Measure C - RealAudio archive of Forum program aired 2/26/02 (30 min) hosted by Michael Krasny. Guests: Duxbury, Scherzer
  (Opens in new window). Part of KQED.org election coverage

Palo Alto Weekly

• Voters Get Last Word on IKEA - 12/7/01

• Measure C would pave way for Ikea in E. Palo Alto - 2/22/02

IKEA will benefit East Palo Alto residents

• 550 new jobs --management, support, sales, service -- East Palo Alto residents have first priority!

• Benefits for all employees (full-and part-time)

  • Medical, dental and vision insurance

  • Tuition reimbursement

  • Retirement plans

  • Flexible hours

  • Paid vacation

• IKEA guarantees $1 million in sales tax revenue to the City every year for eight years, in good times and bad. It is anticipated that sales tax revenue will be $1.8 million a year.

• IKEA will generate over $10 million a year in tax benefits to local, county and state agencies.

• This money will: • Subsidize affordable housing • Pay for increased police, fire and safety services • Pave streets • Improve parks

• IKEA contributes to the community and will first fund a Pre-Training Employment Program and a Children and Families Fund.

• Locate next to Highway 101 with adjacent access from the freeway
• Install new traffic improvements, including repaving East Bayshore Road
• Provide ample on-site parking

A YES vote for Measure C is a vote for the future of East Palo Alto. We cannot afford to miss this opportunity!

/s/ Patricia Foster
Vice-Mayor, City of East Palo Alto

/s/ Sharifa Wilson
Councilmember, City of East Palo Alto

/s/ Rose Jacobs Gibson
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors

/s/ T Roberts
Planning Commissioner, City of East Palo Alto

/s/ Elizabeth Jackson
Vice-Chair, Gateway 101 Relocation Advisory Committee