Story for KQED News. Original post here.
A coalition of community groups in Albany is challenging the East Bay city's recent approval to put a Whole Foods store on part of a farm tract owned by UC-Berkeley.
The group has said it will turn in about 1,200 signatures. They say that's enough to force the City Council to reconsider the Whole Foods decision, or put the issue on the ballot.
Activist Tarina Larsen from Keep Albany Local says some residents are concerned about the development's impact on local businesses. "I feel that it would be very irresponsible of our city government to pit corporations against our local mom & pop businesses," Larsen explained. "Because that's a battle that our local businesses will lose."
The plot of land in question is part of UC's Gill Tract, which urban farm protesters tried to take over earlier this year.
