Residents to Whole Foods, Park Slope Edition: Modify It

Park Slope Neighbors, which led the campaign to get Commerce Bank to make the design of its Fifth Avenue branch more community-friendly, has launched an online petition campaign aimed at the Gowanus Whole Foods. The organization is asking the grocer to reduce the amount of parking at the site, to replace rooftop parking with a green roof, solar panels or both and to come up with a comprehensive traffic management plan that includes jitney service to subway stops, adequate bike parking and even charging for onsite parking. (The grocer rejected a green roof last month, but at a meeting of the Park Slope Civic Council last night was still said to be "looking into" one.) PSN's Eric McClure points out that the chain has extremely environmentally-sensitive stores in places like Madison, Wisconsin and Edgewater, New Jersey and that Gowanus should get the same treatment. "It would be nice if they put some of their social responsibility to work in our neighborhood the same way they do in Edgewater and Madison, Wisconsin," Mr. McClure told the Park Slope Civic Council last night.

Specifically, the group is asking the grocer to eliminate at least one-third of the parking. As planned, the store would have 420 spaces. The group wants the number cut by 100. The petition letter to Whole Foods Chair John Mackey also asks for a green roof to "reduce run-off, lower energy costs and promote a healthy environment. Solar panels will supply a significant portion of the store's energy needs and reduce harmful emissions."

The online petition can be filled out here. The Green Roof Whole Foods Market blog has also joined the petition campaign.