Chick-fil-A wanted to open a store in Santa Rosa across from the Junior College. A drive-thru. They're even planning to build a brand new building. Where? At the site of an old Burger King that has been vacant and pushing up weeds for a few years. Owned by the bank since one of the town's big real estate guys went belly up.
So? So, Jenny Bard, the Junior College Neighborhood Association president (again--she's like Vladimir Putin, she keeps coming back) objected to Chick-fil-A opening a drive-thru where there had been one before.
Why? Because she's a paid lobbyist for Smart Growth. She's working for the Californina Lung Association as their 'advocate' for Smart Growth. People in the neighborhood don't know that, however. In fact they don't know much of anything because she only sends emails to people who agree with her, according to those who tell us they've been kicked off the neighborhood association email lists for not going along.
Anyway, Chick-fil-A has a business model that includes a drive-thru. But Jenny, the Smart Growth advocate, thinks that drive-thrus are bad because they encourage people to use their cars. Hmmm, maybe a bike thru? She didn't think of that. So objections were raised to the Planning Commission from 'the neighborhood' and Chick-fil-A didn't get their approvals. They had to appeal to the City Council.
Wonder how much time and money that cost them?
Business-friendly Santa Rosa finally said ok. They didn't lay an egg on that one. Jenny has a car. So does Susan Gorin. So does Marsha Vas Dupre. They both voted against Chick-fil-A (they're on the council). Susan is grandstanding since she is running for county supervisor. She's the 'Sierra Club's Choice."
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat wrote a story on Chick-fil-A at Council and, even though Kay Tokerud, Steering Committee member of the Santa Rosa Neighborhood Coalition, attended the Council meeting and spoke in favor of Chick-fil-A's appeal, the newspaper misrepresented the proceedings and said that the neighborhood was against it. We'll have the video of the meeting for you soon.
What a town. Full of feathers, signifying nothing.
So? So, Jenny Bard, the Junior College Neighborhood Association president (again--she's like Vladimir Putin, she keeps coming back) objected to Chick-fil-A opening a drive-thru where there had been one before.
Why? Because she's a paid lobbyist for Smart Growth. She's working for the Californina Lung Association as their 'advocate' for Smart Growth. People in the neighborhood don't know that, however. In fact they don't know much of anything because she only sends emails to people who agree with her, according to those who tell us they've been kicked off the neighborhood association email lists for not going along.
Anyway, Chick-fil-A has a business model that includes a drive-thru. But Jenny, the Smart Growth advocate, thinks that drive-thrus are bad because they encourage people to use their cars. Hmmm, maybe a bike thru? She didn't think of that. So objections were raised to the Planning Commission from 'the neighborhood' and Chick-fil-A didn't get their approvals. They had to appeal to the City Council.
Wonder how much time and money that cost them?
Business-friendly Santa Rosa finally said ok. They didn't lay an egg on that one. Jenny has a car. So does Susan Gorin. So does Marsha Vas Dupre. They both voted against Chick-fil-A (they're on the council). Susan is grandstanding since she is running for county supervisor. She's the 'Sierra Club's Choice."
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat wrote a story on Chick-fil-A at Council and, even though Kay Tokerud, Steering Committee member of the Santa Rosa Neighborhood Coalition, attended the Council meeting and spoke in favor of Chick-fil-A's appeal, the newspaper misrepresented the proceedings and said that the neighborhood was against it. We'll have the video of the meeting for you soon.
What a town. Full of feathers, signifying nothing.
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