I know that Ontario is not anti-Wal Mart like other cities in California, but I do support a Wal-Mart in the right parcel.

I am suggesting Inland Empire and Vineyard.

I have a snapshot of the parcel if anyone wants to take a look.

The former Target at Fifth and Mountain has been vacant for nearly a decade, where Wal-Mart basically pays 2-3 people to patrol a vacant lot because they refuse to bulldoze it for years.

People are worried about increased traffic, more crime, more noise and perhaps the local Albertsons shutting down because Wal-Mart will obviously have lower prices. However the issue is mostly a NIMBY issue, (Not In My Backyard) where people in the southern part of the city or people in Montclair saying, “We want our new Wal-Mart” and it would be nice not having to go to Chino for our shopping needs. But this will also lead to the Wal-Mart in Upland to be shut down as well, so there would not be a huge increase in the number of people employed in the store.

If we also want to reduce the worries about traffic, how about we build a bridge across sixth street and people could use the parking lot on the new Wal-Mart and the parking garage that the city of Ontario illegally spent redevelopment money to build for the movie theater. If there are more arteries for people to shop at the Super Wal-Mart we would not have to worry about congestion as much.

If we are worried that Albertsons will shutter down, in Corona there is a Vons right near the Super Wal-Mart!

I did suggest in a previous post that building a Wal-Mart on a lot on Fourth and Vineyard in Ontario might be a better idea because we can handle the traffic on the huge parcel of land there. 

I am not against Wal-Mart for all its faults, but its about placing it in an appropriate parcel that would be respectful of traffic, environment and the concerns of the residents is the big factor in all of it.

If worse comes to worse we could always have a telethon and buy that parcel of land from Wal-Mart and designate it as open space.

Wal-Mart wanted to locate in the city of Ontario, but there are a group of residents who feel that with the project they want to build it is quite inappropriate due to the traffic and crime that will likely happen if the Super Wal-Mart is built.

Some people are scared that Wal-Mart is near competing supermarkets like Albertsons, which is infamous for high prices. However with the free market Albertsons would have to be more competitive with pricing or shut down if they can not take the heat.  Also there are union supermarkets like Stater Brothers who are like a mile away from that location that even offer good pricing too, so maybe Supervalu needs to explore how they can be profitable and kept.

Due to Proposition 13, we are sadly reliant on sales tax revenue and if we want to fund the services in our city we have to attract the businesses. However I can not forgive the City of Ontario for vetoing Frys Electronics for a furniture store that people barely visit.

Here is my suggestion so we can get the project settled once and for all.

Listen to the residents, figure out what accommodations which could be made so we can get the project built.  Having a pure super center like Chino is out of the question and having the project terminated is also out of consideration as well.

They still have supercenters that are not 24 hours. Have store hours that would be sensible for the community the parcel is based in. 5am to midnight sounds quite fair with 24 hour availability during the winter peak season. Then after three years, the city council could keep things as ways are, or approve 24 hours operation.

Demolish the deserted buildings would also be a good gesture to the community. An empty parcel that is cleaned up would be a good start and would help bring a good impression for visitors who are driving thru.

Also to demolish the crime argument how about we get the crime statistics of Wal-Marts near our location so we can see if this store could be a good neighbor such as Corona and Chino.

Then, the city of Ontario needs to use that semi abandoned community police station that is headquartered at the parking garage near the movie theater across the street as well.

We should end this long and costly legal battle and work to get things to happen.

One, it is going to take sacrifices from both sides. Wal-Mart may have to give up the idea of a 24/7 supercenter and consider having the same hours as the one in Upland.

Two, Wal-Mart can use green technology to help build positive public relations such as having the store being able to power its own energy and being energy efficient.

Three, the abandoned lot needs to be demolished. It is creating decreased property values. Maybe give the property owner a permit to do the demolition in the next few months, and if Wal-Mart refuses, use the redevelopment agency’s money to pay for it and put a lien on it. It’s like code enforcement going after a residential property owner for bad landscaping.

Four, many of the property owners are worried about “the underclass” such as the homeless hanging around the new shopping center. Maybe team up with Upland who has the same problem so we could make shopping up and down the 10 freeway overpass a good one.

Our city does deserve growth and opportunity, but at what price should this growth and opportunity provide for our city? It is not about NIMBYism, it is about being pragmatic to business and our residents which make our city work. Since the advent of Proposition 13 we are reliant on sales tax revenue to fund our local government, we should learn to work with the concerns of the residents so businesses would be able to navigate the hoops of public relations.

It has been almost a decade since Target, Toys R’Us and Food 4 Less left the parcel on Fifth and Mountain and if Wal-Mart wants to stop being an absentee landlord they need to negotiate with the residents and clean the blight they purchased.

Unlike the Chino Spectrum, this planned Super Center is near a residential district. Wal-Mart needs to make concessions in order for their project to happen. If concessions such as forgoing the 24/7 nature of the operation can not happen, then Wal-Mart needs to sell off the property so we can find a tenant that would fit well with the neighborhood.

I could understand that the city of Ontario would like to have more sales tax revenue and more jobs flowing thru, but it seems the city only listens to big money flowing thru its leader’s campaign accounts. There should be an amicable compromise between the residents and the property owner to make things happen.

I would suggest solutions on restricting the hours of operation where it would only be 24/7 during the winter season as a start to make an olive branch to the residents who surround the parcel. A regular sized wal-mart with a micro-market such as their Marketside concept or a Wal-Mart neighborhood market a few blocks a way would  have more public support.

I think honestly there should be a referendum with people who live in a 1.5 mile radius in Ontario to decide if the project should be there. If not, Wal-Mart should be refunded the purchase of their land plus 15% and find a new business or residential complex that would be least offensive.