The property is at Highway 85 and El Camino Real where theEmporium shopping center used to be. It is now known as theAmericana Center. The two mailers asked residents to becomeinvolved in encouraging Home Depot's presence in Mountain View,requesting that they send postcards of support as well as attendpublic hearings on the matter. A Home Depot spokeswoman said lastweek that the retailer had not meant to mislead residents, merelyto show that the property had previously been used for commercialpurposes.

Home Depot says its Mountain View location would reflect itssurrounding community. In the two mailers, it promised a welllandscaped, thoughtfully designed store that would mirror thetown's persona. Home Depot might still receive a specialhome-improvement center designation if it takes action to be a goodneighbor, which would include addressing design and traffic aroundthe store, Percy says.