Stop Dollar General!
Donation protected
Alex and Anthony Chehada, at a young age, and after immigrating to the United States from Syria, fulfilled the American dream of owning their own business when they purchased the Redwood Valley Market just over a decade ago. Since then they have integrated themselves in to the local community where they live and work by selling local products such as wines and honey and expanding their meat department to include thirty varieties of handmade sausage.
The Chehada's American Dream is now becoming a nightmare as a National chain grocery store, the Dollar General, which has over 90,000 employees and over 12,000 outlets, is moving in across the street. Due to its size and resources, Dollar General can buy and sell groceries and liquor at far cheaper prices than "mom and pop" stores the Redwood Valley Market and often, as shown by numerous studies, the end result is that the local smaller businesses like the Chehada's cannot compete and have to close their doors.
The Chehada's and their attorneys the Ukiah firm of Carter, Momsen & Knight put up a valiant fight with the Mendocino County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisor's appealing the issuance of the Dollar General's builidng permit at one point, winning a 5 to 0 vote from the Supervisors in the Chehada's favor. However, afterwards, the Dollar General's attorneys threatened to sue the Board members individually and the Board reversed its vote and denied the Chehada's appeal. The Chehadas now have the right to appeal the Board's decision to the Superior Court in Mendocino County but have already spent close to $30,000 fighting Dollar General's large Sacramento law firm and will need assistance from the Redwood Valley Community if they are to continue to pursue their legal remedies.
Of course, stopping the Dollar General doesn't only benefit the Chehada's business, but also the entire Redwood Valley Community which overwhelmingly has voiced that they do not want a big box national chain store in their small downtown. But this fight is not about preferences or majority rule. The crux of the dispute is a purely legal question regarding whether or not in this case the local government has discretion to study potential environmental impacts of the proposed project and impose conditions or deny the building permit application altogether, when the County Code allows retails stores in this commercial zone without any such study. Generalized complaints by local citizens against this store are not enough. It will take skilled lawyers to argue that there are exceptions in the law under these circumstances, where the County and the Court can order environmental review and deny the Dollar General's application if there will be significant impacts. These lawyers do not come cheap and the Chehadas can no longer afford to "go it alone."
The Chehada's lawyers estimate that it will cost another $30,000 to prosecute a lawsuit through the Mendocino County Superior Court. The Chehada's have a goal of raising half of that amount, or $15,000, from the community and paying the other half themselves. They will need these funds within 45 days.
The Redwood Valley Community has shown a great amount of zeal in showing up in force at public hearings and passionately speaking out against having a Dollar General in their community, forming a Facebook page and gathering 1700 signatures on a petition. The time has come though, where words are not enough and the community needs to step up financially to help the Chehadas. Only a court can rule on a legal question and it takes money to go to court. The Chehada's are confident in their lawyers and wish to continue this fight. A donation from you would be extremely appreciated by them as well as the entire Redwood Valley Community.
The Chehada's American Dream is now becoming a nightmare as a National chain grocery store, the Dollar General, which has over 90,000 employees and over 12,000 outlets, is moving in across the street. Due to its size and resources, Dollar General can buy and sell groceries and liquor at far cheaper prices than "mom and pop" stores the Redwood Valley Market and often, as shown by numerous studies, the end result is that the local smaller businesses like the Chehada's cannot compete and have to close their doors.
The Chehada's and their attorneys the Ukiah firm of Carter, Momsen & Knight put up a valiant fight with the Mendocino County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisor's appealing the issuance of the Dollar General's builidng permit at one point, winning a 5 to 0 vote from the Supervisors in the Chehada's favor. However, afterwards, the Dollar General's attorneys threatened to sue the Board members individually and the Board reversed its vote and denied the Chehada's appeal. The Chehadas now have the right to appeal the Board's decision to the Superior Court in Mendocino County but have already spent close to $30,000 fighting Dollar General's large Sacramento law firm and will need assistance from the Redwood Valley Community if they are to continue to pursue their legal remedies.
Of course, stopping the Dollar General doesn't only benefit the Chehada's business, but also the entire Redwood Valley Community which overwhelmingly has voiced that they do not want a big box national chain store in their small downtown. But this fight is not about preferences or majority rule. The crux of the dispute is a purely legal question regarding whether or not in this case the local government has discretion to study potential environmental impacts of the proposed project and impose conditions or deny the building permit application altogether, when the County Code allows retails stores in this commercial zone without any such study. Generalized complaints by local citizens against this store are not enough. It will take skilled lawyers to argue that there are exceptions in the law under these circumstances, where the County and the Court can order environmental review and deny the Dollar General's application if there will be significant impacts. These lawyers do not come cheap and the Chehadas can no longer afford to "go it alone."
The Chehada's lawyers estimate that it will cost another $30,000 to prosecute a lawsuit through the Mendocino County Superior Court. The Chehada's have a goal of raising half of that amount, or $15,000, from the community and paying the other half themselves. They will need these funds within 45 days.
The Redwood Valley Community has shown a great amount of zeal in showing up in force at public hearings and passionately speaking out against having a Dollar General in their community, forming a Facebook page and gathering 1700 signatures on a petition. The time has come though, where words are not enough and the community needs to step up financially to help the Chehadas. Only a court can rule on a legal question and it takes money to go to court. The Chehada's are confident in their lawyers and wish to continue this fight. A donation from you would be extremely appreciated by them as well as the entire Redwood Valley Community.
Organizer
Brian Momsen
Organizer
Ukiah, CA
