Fresh & Easy Developers Take Next Steps

More steps toward moving a Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market into Sierra Madre were taken this week.

Developers have already submitted an application to demolish the property at 14 E Sierra Madre Blvd., where and a storage facility currently reside. City Council Tuesday awarded a contract to Raimi & Associates to do an environmental study on the property.

Though the project is just a proposal at this point and no decisions have been made about whether Fresh & Easy will actually come to town, the news has many longtime customers of Taylor’s dismayed.

“The project still has to go through Planning Commission review and then onto City Council review to be considered for approval. It is very premature to know any outcome at this point. At this time it’s a project application,” said Danny Castro, Director of Development Services.

Residents Wary of Fresh & Easy

In a recent Patch article entitled many residents voice their displeasure to having a Fresh & Easy in Sierra Madre. 

Colleen Zaffina wrote: I have shopped at Taylors for 40 years and would be devastated to see them go. Fresh and Easy is not the type of store that is appropriate for Sierra Madre. Keep the big chain stores out. There are plenty of them all over the place.

Bette Solomon wrote: I DO NOT WANT Fresh & Easy in town. What's Sierra Madre going to do with a chain market? Those are a dime a dozen, and I can drive down the hill and find any number of them. Taylor's is unique. Would F&E turn out to ? Would they have the freshest meat? The best employees in the world? Small town atmosphere in this huge city? Taylor's brings people from all over greater Los Angeles to shop in Sierra Madre, and it is a huge selling point for real estate here. F&E is not for me.

In fact, of the many comments sent in, only one spoke in favor of Fresh & Easy coming to town.

But, during a City Council meeting on Tuesday, a good portion of the discussion focused around . Whether opening a Fresh & Easy will draw more out-of-town consumers, or if having a Fresh & Easy in town is even a fit for Sierra Madre, is yet to be determined.

What Will Happen Next

Raimi & Associates will create an environmental checklist of the site over the next few months, followed by a Planning Commission public hearing, reviews, public noticing, public comment and response period and additional public hearings.

When all is said and done it may be another six months before residents know for sure what will become of Taylor’s and the property.

The fee for the preparation of the environmental study, including staff cost, will total approximately $49,251.25 and will be fully paid by the developer.