04/28/1980 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e they were a small neighborhood grocery meeting neighborhood needs. The Planning Commission has recognized the need for "ma-and-pa" grocery stores in the plan update. In the Westside Neighborhood, the Planning Commission has legitimized nelghborhood groceries. The Willamette People's Co-op is a grocery stores that has been in contin- uous operation for 35 years. She asked to have the c-i zoning, but would accept any solution that would permit them to operate in the neighborhood. She explained that this was a city-wide problem. The store could not be improved when the zoning was tenuous. Small neighborhood groceries should be encouraged rather than put out of business. e Sidney Herbert, 2750 Onyx Street, said she and her neighbor, Jean Johnson, 2795 Emerald, just came to support their favorite store. They walk to the store six blocks. At one time,. she lived one-half block from the store and is an original member of the co-op. The store is a benefit to the community. She suggested that there was a selective zone enforcement here. She said there were a number of zone violations in the neighborhood. She was nervous about a C-1 zone change, but wished a flexible way to deal with the problem of keeping stores within walking distance of homes. Eric Ackerson, 339 West 22nd Avenue, Vice President of Willamette People's Co-op Council, said they tried to be unobtrusive in the neighborhood. They have improved the outside appearance of the store by removing unsightly clothing boxes and other recycling materials from the front. They plan to stay in their present space. They have not expanded the business volume. He asked the council, if C-1 was not acceptable, to find some way for the store to exist. Bess Noble, 2577 Emerald Street, lives four blocks from the co-op and feeds a family of three on $120 month and could not do it if the co-op were not close to her home as 90 percent of her food dollars are spent at the co-op. Speaking against the zone change: Gary Gillespie, 914 East 18th Avenue, President of South University Neighborhood Association, referred to a letter to the council and to . the Planning Commission from SUNA, which objects to the C-1 zone. The neighborhood association does not object to the co-op store, but it does not want uses allowed in a C-1 zone to occur in the neighbor- hood. SUNA recommended an extension be granted to the Willamette People's Co-op to remain in the portion of the premises they now occupy. They would like to see it allowed to stay as a conditional use in an R-1 zone. Julie Johnson, 1375 East 22nd Avenue, lives next door to the co-op. She was not opposed to the co-op, but opposed the zone change. She spoke on the many benefits of the co-op. e Sue Girking, 1375 East 22nd Avenue, reiterated her support for the co-op as a next-door neighbor. She asked the council to seek another alternative besides the zone change. 4/28/80--11