Today as I write this, PCH is closed for a fire and fire truck staging and it is only March. Yesterday, it took me an extra hour to get home because a traffic signal was out at Nobu. Just days ago, a woman was killed by a hit and run, just a few weeks after another death of a woman on PCH in a traffic accident. I would be happy to share every sheriff Nixle report I have collected since August 2014 that document crashes, deaths and other traffic casualties and mishaps on PCH. With 1,000 accidents clocked each year on our PCH, and with thousands of beachgoers, hikers and cyclists coming in extremely early due to unseasonably warm weather, it’s apparent that Whole Foods is literally out to lunch with its EIR. We have local Vintage Grocers and PC Greens, Whole Foods clones for those wanting high priced organic food. We certainly do not need another market with a huge Ralph’s close by. But most important, we do not need another choke point during emergencies or with tourists and beachgoers already flooding in and making PCH impassable.
This project would cause a major increase in traffic, resulting in an additional 2,300 to 3,000 new car trips every day. Whole Foods has not proposed anything to ease the additional burden. Whole Foods has ignored resident requests for assurances that traffic generated will not jeopardize their safety in the event of an emergency. And laughably, the EIR makes the unbelievable assumption that traffic has decreased by 25 to 30 percent in recent years. What pot dispensary were those drafting the EIR visiting before they sat down to write it? Obviously none of them live here.Â
We cannot add more cars to this small beach town that already suffers tremendously from PCH traffic.
Susan Tellem