IKEA has parallels to Walmart fight

As reported, IKEA wants to relocate their Burbank store to San Fernando Road and Providencia Avenue. The new building will be twice the size of the current facility.

So you thought Walmart would cause a traffic problem. The proposed site for the new IKEA facility will create traffic problems that cannot be efficiently resolved. The property is paralleled by railroad tracks and the I-5 freeway. This limits access from the west and will force traffic flow through downtown Burbank or down the residential streets on the east side of San Fernando Road. Shouldn’t the city demand an environmental impact study for this project?

The articles published in the Leader indicated that public funds were spent to bring IKEA to Burbank the first time. How much in public funds will be spent this time?

The major opposition against the Walmart store was the alleged mistreatment of its employees. I ask that you go to the Internet and search “are IKEA employees unionized.” The articles will shock you.

I would expect those who oppose Walmart to take the same actions toward IKEA as they do toward Walmart. If they don’t, their past actions were just pure hypocrisy.

Dennis Shiflett
Burbank