Calif. Town Approves Big-Box Ban

Dublin, Calif. Another city in Northern California has voted to prohibit the construction of superstores within its city limits, according to the Contra Costa Times.

The Dublin City Council voted 4-1 to ban general retail establishments larger than 170,000 sq. ft. that devote more than 10% of floor space to nontaxable grocery items. Membership stores, such as Costco, are exempt, the report said.

Vice mayor Tim Sbranti called a superstore a "regional grocery store" that would have a huge traffic impact on the city, the report said. The mayor also noted that a superstore could harm many of Dublin's small businesses that wouldn’t be able to keep pace against a national retail giant, according to the report.

Oakland, Martinez, Contra Costa County, Turlock and Elk Grove are some of the other communities that either have bans or special study requirements for superstores.