INFO - Target facts

Target's impact on our Kailua community.

Here are the facts:

* Target expects up to 20% increase in traffic to the site (yet they've provided no information on how many shoppers frequent their Kapolei or Iwilei stores, so it's really unknown)

* Target's market demand to justify a Kailua store includes the residents from Hawaii Kai to north of Kaneohe (these shoppers will not be walking to the store!)

* Target says "it's up to Department of Transportation to decide if they'll add a light along Hahani St" (with YOUR tax dollars!)

*Kaneohe Ranch says it's not up to them (yet they are the land owner of a majority of Kailua retail space, including this site)

*Kailua has not yet seen the impact of increased traffic from the to-be-constructed Whole Foods

*Part of the justification for the expensive, decades-long H-3 freeway was to ease access for windward residents to major retailers in Oahu's urban core -- The choice is yours: 20-minute drive on H-3 to leeward-side  OR  35+minutes IN TRAFFIC on our small Kailua roads

As of July 21, 2010, Target’s Guest Relations Department has stated it has no additional information to share regarding whether Target will perform a TIAR (Traffic Impact Analysis Report).  It has also stated that any additional information will be provided via the public meeting / hearing venues versus through attempts such as those of individual community members to obtain information via email correspondence with guest.relations@target.com.  This is unfortunate but we feel very telling of the type of corporate mentality that pervades Target’s approach to becoming a part of the Kailua community.  Target says it has a tradition of community involvement and that it actively works to meet the needs of the communities it enters…..the actions of Target do not comport with this stated philosophy.