'Stealth' Wal-Mart Supercenter suspected in Oakley development plan, groups claim

NEWS CONFERENCE ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Contact: Craig Peterson, GPCC Councilmember, 925-671-7025, cdp [at] greens.org
Paul Seger, Delta Greens, 714-504-0838

ATTN: Daybook/Assignment Desk


'Stealth' Wal-Mart suspected in East Bay city;
groups will announce opposition to project
tonight before City Council vote

OAKLEY, CA. (May 13, 2008) - Community and political organizations will
hold a major news conference here Tuesday to announce their opposition to
an Oakley development plan - which may include a "stealth" Wal-Mart
Supercenter they say will harm the environment and put Oakley merchants out
of business.

The news briefing is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. TUESDAY, May 13, at Oakley
City Hall (3231 Main Street). Among those attending will be representatives
from the Green Party of California, Green Party of Contra Costa, the Solano
County Green
Party, the Delta Greens, and the California Healthy Communities Network .

The briefing precedes a 7 p.m. Oakley City Council meeting Tuesday where
city councilors are expected to vote on the controversial River Oaks
Crossing Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR). A decision is expected
Tuesday night.

Wal-Mart, which pulled out of Oakley project in late February, may well be
a stealth tenant of the River Oaks Crossing development, charge residents,
who gathered more than 2,000 signatures opposing the Wal-Mart. Those
signing said Wal-Mart would bring more traffic, more crime and harm the
environment, and business.

Apparently, Wal-Mart did just that in Hercules and American Canyon, where
they became tenants only after city leaders approved development projects
without Wal-Mart's name attached to the proposals.

"The EIR is deficient. The City of Oakley should not accept it," said Craig
Peterson, a member of the Green Party of Contra Costa's County Council.
"Sacrificing 44 acres of century-old vineyards to make way for the traffic,
pollution, and increased crime that comes with big box stores is a short
sighted trade-off this area can ill afford."

"The inclusion of big box stores that will drive away business from the
downtown is in direct conflict with the 20-Year Downtown Development Plan,"
said Eve Diamond, spokesperson for the Delta Greens. "When local businesses
are fighting to survive tough economic times it is hard to understand why
the City of Oakley would even consider making it harder for them to stay in
business."