Referendum against Neiman Marcus store likely headed for ballot

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Jun 16, 2009 | by Elisabeth Nardi

A referendum blocking the Walnut Creek City Council's decision to allow a Neiman Marcus store downtown has garnered enough signatures to eventually end up on the ballot.

Over the past few weeks, petition signature gatherers collected 7,263 signatures, which were filed at the city clerk office Tuesday. At least 4,226 valid signatures were needed to put the project's approval on the ballot.

A group called Residents and Advocates for More Parking and Reduced Traffic opposes the project, fearing the Broadway Plaza expansion will make parking and traffic worse downtown. That group is financially backed by Taubman Centers, which owns Sunvalley mall in Concord and is a competitor to Broadway Plaza owner Macerich Co.

The city now has until July 29 to get the signatures verified; if verified, the referendum would then go to the City Council, which would have to either repeal the entire resolution or submit it to a vote of the people.

In a news release from the opposition group, Selma King, a former planning commissioner who is suing the city over environmental reports for the project, said the number of signatures says a lot.

"It's fantastic and speaks volumes that over 7,000 Walnut Creek citizens have signed the referendum petition concerning the first of two questionable approvals granted by the City Council to the developer of Broadway Plaza," said King.

This second referendum, being circulated for the next three weeks, challenges the city's development agreement with Macerich. That development agreement gives Macerich vesting rights for a major anchor store at Mt. Diablo Boulevard and South Main Street for the next five to 10 years.

This latest referendum campaign is counter to an initiative campaign backed by Macerich. That initiative, which needs the signatures of 15 percent of registered Walnut Creek voters to get on the ballot, would also bring the Neiman Marcus decision to the voters.

Reach Elisabeth Nardi at 925-952-2617 or enardi@bayareanewsgroup.com.