Burbank City Council to vote on IKEA project

Swedish furniture giant IKEA will face its final hurdle next week in its quest to build its largest store in the country, with the Burbank City Council set to consider the project on Tuesday.

The retailer has the Burbank Planning Board on its side, which in January recommended the council green light the project, though some residents have voiced concerns about parking, traffic congestion and pedestrian safety. The new story would be nearly twice the size of the current location.

City officials have said the project would provide a boost to the local economy because the retailer serves as a major sales-tax generator for the city.

Relocating has been on the company’s radar for years. Officials say the retailer is cramped in its current Burbank Town Center property, which offers inconvenient parking for customers because it’s far from the store.

The retailer, which opened in Burbank in 1990 as its first store in California and sixth in the United States, has proposed relocating roughly a mile away to a nearly 23-acre lot located at 805 S. San Fernando Blvd.

Construction is proposed to begin this year, starting with the demolition of the 22 existing structures on the lot. Those buildings are currently being used for office, manufacturing, industrial, warehouse and residential purposes.

Currently, the existing structures generate 2,140 trips on a typical weekday and 648 trips on a typical weekend day. When the IKEA opens, officials expect 2,382 more trips each weekday, and 6,798 more trips on a typical weekend day, according to city reports.

The store is proposed to open in August 2016, expecting to be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Five to seven delivery trucks are projected to access the site daily, with the main ones arriving during off hours.

The proposed development consists of a three-building, an underground parking level, a ground level for retail and warehouse areas and a supervised children’s play area. There would also be upper level consisting of showrooms, offices and a restaurant. The new store would have 1,726 parking spots and 86 bicycle parking spaces.

The public hearing is slated to take place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Burbank City Hall.
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Follow Alene Tchekmedyian on Google+ and on Twitter: @atchek.

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