Now, this issue is back to the drawing board. But, that isn't even what confuses me so much. What I am really confused about is a quote I read from council member Beth Wythe: "For me personally, it's not a Fred Meyer issue." She added that she is tasked with following the voter majority. Wythe said Homer has a reputation for stifling growth, which must be reversed.
"People talk about Homer as a no-growth community. ... It is an image or persona that we present outside the borders of Homer," said Wythe. "If we can't change that persona, we are locking ourselves out of any growth — good or bad."
So, if Homer is supposedly a no-growth community, then why is it that Fred Meyer was willing to sign a 60-year lease and build a building here in Homer? Why did Fred Meyer come and hold two public meetings and design plans to build a 45,000-square-foot store? And not only was that store willing to move into this "no-growth community," but we also now have Safeway planning an expansion and remodel into its current building.
But, let's look within the "no-growth" community for a minute. This week is the opening of the new wing on the college. A little over a year ago, an $11-million visitor center-office-lab building opened — the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center. Our library is currently planning on building a larger building.
These are all signs of growth of a healthy community.
Let's look a little further into our community. We have had Kachemak Gear Shed remodel and expand into a larger building. Ulmer's expanded. Two Sisters Bakery built a larger building and moved in. Old Inlet Bookshop has recently remodeled an old building and grown into that location. Super Software built a large building and moved into that. Save-U-More built a larger space for themselves and moved into there, allowing for another grocery store to open up in town in their old location. The Art Shop Gallery remodeled a larger space and has filled it nicely. The Homer Bookstore remodeled and moved into a larger building. Aurora Gems built a new building and increased in size as they moved up.
And even our local Homer Chamber of Commerce has a fairly new, larger building. Isn't this a sign of growth?
And the healthy part of this growth is that almost all of the buildings that these stores or businesses moved out of, are currently filled with other businesses, leaving us a healthy, attractive community.
Homer has consistently led the borough in sales tax increase, even before the annex. We have a healthy community that continues to grow and prosper. We do not have all of our eggs in one basket, in one large industry or store, as do some other areas who are in dire straits when that one industry or store closes.
A compromise was reached that seemed fair and workable to all involved. So, what happened?
I guess I would like to hear which "people talk about Homer as a no-growth community" because I sure don't hear that discussion in my daily circle.
In my circle, I hear the visitors from out of town who rave about this wonderful town and how they can't wait to come back. I hear the locals talk about the attractiveness of some of the new buildings and the newly remodeled buildings in town.
I don't hear of Homer as being anti-growth, I hear of it as being planned growth. Is there anything wrong with planning for our future?
That is what any investor would recommend to their clients. Let's make Homer a good investment.
Recently the University of Washington students were up in Palmer helping them with some planning and trying to hear what the vision of people were up there. Don't let us look like Wasilla, was the comment I remember reading.
Not too much different from the comment I have heard here: Let's not turn into another Soldotna.
Let's keep that planned growth coming.
Sue Post, who served on the Large Store Impact Task Force, is a Homer High School graduate who moved back to Homer 11 years ago and bought into her family's bookstore. She currently is co-owner of the Homer Bookstore.
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