Letter: IKEA approval has raised real concerns

I want to thank the Citizens Advocating Rational Development and their president Nick Green for speaking out about the real ecological problems in the plan for the new IKEA store, which was steamrolled through the City Council meeting on March 11 and especially for getting a judge to look into the EIR for this megastore.

Citizens Advocating Rational Development has addressed what the city’s planning departments and especially the Sustainable Burbank Commission should have insisted be addressed. With major cities experiencing severe air-quality problems, the effects of climate change and the extreme drought in California, this project needs to be undertaken with complete ecological integrity. The EIR was deficient in its assessment of the cumulative present and long-term impacts of the development. Concerns of citizens and the effect on the quality of their lives has not been considered by city staff or the council. Residents are left to bear the brunt of poor air quality, temperature rise and congested streets. The city seemed only interested in sales tax dollars. The city offered no financial or relocation assistance to the homeowners directly impacted, or to the small businesses that were being evicted, yet IKEA’s rent in their present location has been waived for over two decades.

A new unbiased EIR should be completed and public comments need to be seriously and thoughtfully addressed. The new IKEA is giving us a chance to show that we care about the environment, our city, residents and future residents; we must do it right!

Anna May Nelson
Burbank