This past Thursday, the Hayward Planning Commission rejected a proposed Walmart at the former Circuit City location with a 4-3 vote to the dismay of Walmart advocates and the celebration of union members and Walmart opponents.

It was a hearing that prompted speculation concerning the Planning Commission’s decision with Walmart advocates, such as political candidates Chris Pareja and Ralph Farias, to accuse commission members of serving outside “special interests” rather than “opportunities for economic growth.”

The planning commissioners claim to have voted on the appeal based on the issues brought by the appellant concerning planning and environmental impact issues and not political concerns and biases.

The city staff approved the Walmart store location on all fronts to the planning commission, considering that it met conditions concerning zoning ordinance requirements, the conditional use permit issued in 2004 and was exempt from an environmental impact study, due to air quality impact screening thresholds not met by the proposed project and no significant traffic impacts.

The issue that made most headway Thursday night was whether the proposed market met with zoning ordinance of the sale of retail goods in a regional or sub-regional marketing base.

Jon Nunes, a collective bargaining member of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5 (UFCW5), advocated against Walmart, claiming that a supermarket is designated with a neighborhood use and thus should be applied to a zoning ordinance in compliance with that requirement.

According to Nunes, the Circuit City in 2004 was approved under a regional or sub-regional zoning ordinance. The property since then has not applied for a change in zoning ordinance and thus a Walmart grocery store would not meet the zoning ordinance.

Nunes, in disagreement with the city staff’s analysis, said traffic would be an issue considering that supermarkets generate more visitation and traffic than an electronic store thus generating an environmental impact issue concerning greenhouse gases.

Walmart advocates, from attorney’s to the Union City Walmart manager, cited the supermarket as “meeting the zoning and permit requirements,” and considered a regional store, since it would be located by the I-880, thus providing access regionally and sub-regionally.

But advocates also begged the commission to approve and address the circumstance based on planning issues rather than political issues, calling the appellant an “outside interest group.”

Walmart, with its controversial history widely reported by the media in recent years concerning low working wages and overseas labor concerns, attracted droves of union members and citizens, touting anti-Walmart stickers attached to their clothing denouncing it for its lack of union paying jobs.

“Why not bring a union store to Hayward,” shouted one citizen. “We need more union jobs.”

Other union members accused Walmart of killing businesses because of its “predatory prices;” it would put other small businesses at a competitive disadvantage and thus dampen the economic viability of Hayward.

“Allowing Walmart to expand reduces my ability to meet my financial needs for my family,” said one citizen referencing Walmart’s “poor wages” that “force citizens to rely on government assistance.”

Others advocated for Walmart on a premise of optimistic business opportunity for Hayward’s struggling economic climate where businesses come and go. Walmart wants to open up in Hayward then we shouldn’t reject them just by name, according to Walmart supporters.

“What if it was Whole Foods? Would you question the regional and sub-regional issue? This is all based on a name; we are making a big fuss of Walmart,” said Ralph Farias, a city council candidate. “Hayward is known as the most difficult city to open a business in. No one forces you to purchase at these stores, go if you want to go.”

Al Mendall, Elisa Marques, Rodney Loche and Sara Lamin upheld the appeal while Dianne McDermott, Mariellen Faria and Mary Lavelle denied it, voting in favor of the city staff’s recommendation.

“If you don’t want to shop at Walmart, then don’t shop there,” said McDermott.

Mendall said it was clear to him that the proposed store did not meet the zoning requirements after the city staff admitted that the definition of “regional and sub-regional” was not clearly defined in the zoning ordinance.

“If they want to apply for a change in zoning, then they are allowed to do that,” said Mendall.

Don Temkin, the property owner where the former Circuit City sits, expressed his disappointment in the commission’s decision but says he wasn’t surprised by the response because of “Hayward’s reputation to be hostile towards businesses.”

“Hayward is a city that likes to say no, not yes,” said Temkin.

Temkin admitted to not knowing what his next move would be but would be convening soon with colleagues to weigh all of their options. It was established by participants in Thursday’s night meeting that whether the appeal was upheld or not that the Walmart issue would likely be appealed to the city council.

The Walmart proposed would sit on the border of Union City, just mere minutes away from the nearby Walmart store in Union City but conveniently located next to I-880. What makes this Walmart unique though is its use, a supermarket specializing in food products from fresh produce to meat.

The Walmart market would be the first of its kind in California. Currently there is no Walmart supermarket in the West Coast but there are plans to bring them to Oregon and Washington. San Jose, Dublin and Pleasanton are currently discussing the possibility of bringing the Walmart supermarket to their communities.