City shops for retail stops Report identifies land suited for possible commercial development

Call them growing pains.

Despite the recent increase in retail development in the Elk Grove area, a new consultant's report to the Elk Grove City Council shows there still is too little shopping locally to prevent the outflow of dollars to cities such as Roseville and Folsom.

The analysis this month by retail consultant Gregory Stoffel & Associates of Irvine shows that if Elk Grove is to persuade residents to shop at home and to attract dollars from outside the city, more retail businesses are needed.

As part of an analysis, city staff members have identified 10 sites around Elk Grove for potential future retail use.

They are:

-- Site 1: City staff members were directed to work with the owner of approximately 30 acres at the northeast corner of Sheldon Road and Highway 99 for possible increase of commercial acreage once interchange reconstruction is complete.

-- Site 2: The northeast corner of Sheldon and Power Inn Roads was the focus of a successful effort to block a Wal-Mart Supercenter. Opponents led by a new group, Elk Grove Coalition Advocating Proper Planning, forced withdrawal of the project in December. A city report accompanying the retail report notes that the site remains an option for retail development if Site 3 cannot accommodate larger retail tenants.

-- Site 3: Homebuilder D.R. Horton Inc. has an option on 60 acres at the southeast corner of Sheldon and Bruceville roads. The homebuilder's proposal calls for about 28,000 square feet of retail businesses and 624 homes, Planning Director Christine Crawford told the council. But city staff members have identified 37 to 45 acres of retail uses that might be suitable for the site.

Crawford told the council, for example, that the city heard from an RC Willey home furnishings store representative asking for the D.R. Horton contact "because they (Willey) wanted to be there."

Representatives for Horton said their retail analysis shows a more modest retail demand for the site.

-- Site 4: This 13.5-acre site at West Stockton Boulevard, north of an existing Home Depot, could be an opportunity to attract medium-box retail tenants. An application for a retail development at the site has been submitted to the city.

-- Site 5: The former JVC Disc America building is in a retail district that, until recently, has not attracted retail-oriented tenants of major significance, the city reported. But California Family Fitness wants to build a fitness mall in the building with a large fitness center, a dance studio, gym, juice bar, restaurant and more.

-- Site 6: More than 20 acres could become available if Wal-Mart closes its older store at Elk Grove Boulevard and Highway 99 and moves south near the planned Elk Grove Promenade at Kammerer Road west of Highway 99, the city said. "This (existing Wal-Mart) site represents a good opportunity for the city to accommodate ... significant retailers or additional automotive-oriented uses," the city's report said.

-- Site 7: The 97-acre Laguna Ridge Town Center planned southeast of Bruceville Road and Elk Grove Boulevard is aimed at creating a Main Street-style area with retail and residential uses. The next step is city approval of policies that will govern creation of design guidelines.

-- Site 8: Old Town Elk Grove, the focus of recent revitalization, now has an opportunity to attract destination tenants "that will serve to re-establish the district from a shopping/dining standpoint."

-- Site 9: The Elk Grove Promenade district encompasses 249 acres, but about 162,000 fewer residents live within seven miles of the site compared to the same radius at Galleria at Roseville, according to the Stoffel report. Even so, the report stated, retailers should be attracted to the site because the area is underserved.

-- Site 10: The city identified two strong retail sites within the Southeast Area Specific Plan. One is north of Kammerer Road and west of the proposed Elk Grove Promenade and the other is west of Highway 99 just north of the Promenade. The city staff will work with the owners' group to help accommodate retail development.