By CLAYTON PARK

Twice rebuffed by the City's Department of Design, Construction and Land Use in its request for a rezone that would allow for construction of a new larger Pinehurst store, Safeway officials have decided to copy a tactic often used by community activists: it is mounting a petition drive.

The company recently posted a sign inside the entryway of its Pinehurst store explaining the petition, which is displayed next to a scale model of the proposed new store.

As of Jan. 29, 34 people had signed the petition, which reads as follows:

"To the City of Seattle Hearing Examiner:

'We are members of the Pinehurst neighborhood, who live in this community and use the existing Safeway. Safeway has requested a rezone of its property from SF-7200 to NC2-30' to allow it to provide a broader range of products for our community.

"The City Planning Department (DCLU) has recommended against this rezone, based on its concern that the new store would adversely affect the single-family area in the immediate vicinity.

"We urge you to recommend to the City Council that it oppose this rezone. Safeway has been a major part of our community for over 30 years and needs a new and larger store to meet our needs.

"After reviewing the model of the new store on display, we think its design and the substantial landscape buffering make it compatible with the existing residential neighborhood on 16th and 123rd streets.

"We strongly urge you to support this rezone and major upgrade to the Pinehurst neighborhood. Rather than encroaching, this rezone will allow Safeway through its new store to keep our neighborhood commercial area healthy and attractive, and thus strengthen our residential neighborhood."