Council to Vote on Target Monday

The San Rafael City Council is expected to vote Monday night on whether to approve the construction of a Target superstore at Shoreline Center off Kerner Boulevard, a proposal first brought before the city in 2006.

 The 137,511-square-foot Target store would be built on a 19-plus acre site with 523 parking spaces near the Home Depot.

Monday's meeting follows a five-hour public hearing Dec. 6, during which scores of attendees voiced their support or opposition to the plan.

In response, city staff has issued a report addressing many of the concerns raised by speakers at the hearing and has, for the most part, upheld it's previous assertions about the benefits of the project.

The report, by Community Development Director Robert Brown, maintains that the superstore will produce estimated sales tax revenues of $675,000 a year based on Target's projection of $45 million annually in income.

The report also states that downtown parking revenues would not be negatively affected, saying retail demand will be greater than supply by 2014.

Environmental concerns have been analyzed in studies and city staff say impacts will not be negative for the most part. 

According to the report, Target representatives will provide answers to concerns about such things as the number of jobs the store will provide and what the wages and health care benefits will be as well as the store's policies on hiring locally and training. 

For more details, see the staff report. Supporting documents are also available.

The meeting is at 8 p.m. Monday in council chambers at 1500 Fifth Ave.