REPORTS SHOWS WAL-MART COULD SQUASH DOWNTOWN BENNINGTON, VT
Report: New Wal-Mart could spell problems for downtown
The construction of a new Wal-Mart twice the size of the current one in town could spell disaster for some small, local retailers and their employees, according to an economic impact study done to secure a state environmental permit for the project.
112,000 square feet
Jonathan Levy, with BLS Bennington, LLC., won town permits in January 2006 to more than double the size of the Wal-Mart in the Monument Plaza on Northside Drive to 112,000 square feet.
The study, completed by Kavet, Rockler & Associates, was done on behalf of Levy and the Vermont Natural Resources Council, which is opposing construction of the new store. The VNRC represents Citizens for a Greater Bennington, which is opposed to the store at the local level.
According to the study, the first year of a new store could create a gain of up to 75 jobs. Construction costs would total about $16 million, and sales in the store are expected to more than double the current store and total about $48 million.
But the higher sales will take its toll on existing retailers.
“Most of the expanded store’s growth will come at the expense of existing stores in the served market area,” the report reads.
And although first-year employment gains will have a net growth of 75 positions, the study found that a larger Wal-Mart would have a negative long-term impact on employment in the area.
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Topics: Economic/Small Business | Environment |
Posted by Joel Nezianya on Thursday, June 26, 2008 | Permalink
SALT LAKE CITY, UT COOL TO WAL-MART IDEA
Residents criticize Wal-Mart proposal
If Salt Lake City’s latest community fight against big-box heavyweight Wal-Mart had a theme song, it would sound more like “If I Could Turn Back Time” than “Gonna Fly Now” from the “Rocky” series.
Addressing the Salt Lake City Planning Commission Wednesday night, 50-year east-side resident Elaine Brown suggested the Cher hit as a way to describe the bitter feelings of some longtime residents surrounding the property Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to develop at 2705 E. Parleys Way.
Residents felt excluded from the public process when Kmart was built at the site about 40 years ago, Brown said, and many believe they haven’t had a voice in Wal-Mart’s plans to raze the Kmart structure and build a new supercenter in its place.
That said, Brown encouraged the Planning Commission to approve Wal-Mart’s request for a zoning to allow for a new store at the site rather than a renovation of the existing Kmart building.
Either way, Wal-Mart is coming to town, she said, and a new, more attractive and environmentally friendly store “is in the best interest of the community.”
Brown’s opinion wasn’t shared by the majority of the 20 people who spoke during the public hearing. About 70 percent of those who expressed an opinion on the requested zoning change did so against allowing it.
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Topics: Environment | Zoning Regulations |
Posted by Joel Nezianya on Thursday, June 26, 2008 | Permalink
RESIDENTS NOT IMPRESSED BY WAL-MART PLANS IN SUGAR HOUSE, UT
Wal-Mart unspooled its best pitch, and the Planning Commission remained passive, but a majority of east-side residents pooh-poohed the retailer’s request to plop a supercenter near the mouth of Parleys Canyon in Sugar House.
Some 65 residents took turns today debating Wal-Mart’s plea for a zoning change to bulldoze Kmart and replace it with a 120,000-square-foot “hypermarket” at 2705 E. Parleys Way. They pointed to Wal-Mart’s familiar foibles: truck traffic, clogged roads, late-night noise and light pollution. But several residents also argued Wal-Mart’s promise to build green if allowed to build anew is disingenuous since a rebuild is cheaper than a remodel.
“Do they want to build green for the community or do they want the green for their pockets?” asked Sarah Carlson.
Others blasted big-box ethics, warning Wal-Mart will cannibalize nearby grocers.
“The neighborhood does not need inferior products served at cut rates,” said Camron Carpenter.
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Topics: Traffic/Sprawl | Zoning Regulations |
Posted by Joel Nezianya on Thursday, June 26, 2008 | Permalink
TWO MONTH ROAD CLOSURE FOR WAL-MART PREPARTION IN PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI
State Road to close for two months near Wal-Mart project [Ann Arbor News (Mich.)]
State Road in Pittsfield Township will be closed to through traffic between Old State Road and US-12 in September and October for road improvements, said Roy Townsend, director of engineering at the Washtenaw County Road Commission.
The work is associated with the new Wal-Mart store near the corner of State Road and US-12.
State Road may be used to access businesses in the work zone, as well as Harvest Elementary School and Saline High School on Campus Parkway, during the construction, Townsend said. The Road Commission will encourage people to access Campus Parkway from Industrial Drive, he said.
Access to local subdivisions also will be maintained, Townsend said.
Topics: Traffic/Sprawl |
Posted by Joel Nezianya on Thursday, June 26, 2008 | Permalink
WAL-MART’S RELENTLESS LEGAL ASSAULT ON ZIONSVILLE, IN
Wal-Mart fires next barrage with suit against Zionsville [Indianapolis Star]
Zionsville residents are bracing themselves for another protracted court battle between the town and retail giant Wal-Mart, and some aren’t optimistic about the outcome.
The store filed suit against Zionsville June 18, nearly a month after the town turned down its plan to build a 185,000-square-foot superstore on U.S. 421. It’s a battle that’s been waging since 2006.
Local residents Martin and Anna Baker dread the thought of Wal-Mart coming to town, but Kathleen Rivers looks forward to seeing the familiar blue and grey box store on the town’s outskirts. All three believe a Zionsville Wal-Mart is inevitable.
“The whole thing is a big waste of town money,” Rivers said. “Wal-Mart is such a big company, they can win out easy against a small town. We could put the money to better use than trying to fight off some big corporation.”
The Bakers echoed Rivers’ sentiments, but hoped the Arkansas-based retailer would heed the town’s wishes and go elsewhere.
“If Wal-Mart thinks this would be a good area for them, there are better places for them than (U.S.) 421,” Martin Baker said. “Maybe they could look around the Anson area where the population would be more welcoming.”
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Topics: Crime & Safety | Traffic/Sprawl | Lawsuits |
Posted by Joel Nezianya on Thursday, June 26, 2008 | Permalink
DECISION DELAYED IN TILLSONBURG, CANADA
Council defers Wal-Mart decision [Tillsonburg News (Canada)]
Tillsonburg council has followed the advice of Oxford’s planning department and deferred a decision on the application for a big new Wal-Mart store here.
In the application, SmartCentres, the applicant, is proposing a 250,000 sq. ft. development - including a 175,000 sq. ft. Wal-Mart store with a large food component - at Tillsonburg’s north end.
The application has been amended over the past year to go ahead in stages.
If approved, 2010 would see the opening of the 175,000 sq. ft. department store and 25,000 sq. ft. of ancillary retail and services. Another 50,000 sq. ft of ancillary uses would be opened over the next two years for a total of 75,000 sq. ft.
Also, the county’s peer reviewer of the SmartCentre studies, has recommended that non-food retail uses for ancillary pads be restricted to a maximum gross floor area of 3,500 sq. ft., and that financial institutions/banks, liquor stores, professional offices and other uses exclusive to the Central Commercial Zone (downtown) not be allowed as permitted uses on the site.
In their updated, supplementary planning report, Oxford planners cite two unresolved issues and recommended the application be deferred until these outstanding issues have been addressed.
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Topics: Traffic/Sprawl | Comprehensive Plans | Zoning Regulations | | Canada
Posted by Joel Nezianya on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 | Permalink
WAL-MART EXPANSION MOVES FORWARD IN NORTHUMBERLAND, CANADA
Wal-Mart expansion gets green light [Northumberland Today (Canada)]
With an agreement in place between the Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) and Wal-Mart, the Town of Cobourg has passed land-use bylaws to permit expansion of the store.
The expansion is to accommodate a super-sized grocery area and to add new product area and wider aisles. In addition, the exterior of the store will be updated, especially at the entrance area.
A “triple cap” will limit the overall store size, the retail area within the shopping node and how much floor space can be used for groceries and for non-grocery and food production areas, Cobourg planning director Glenn McGlashon said this week prior to the passage of the bylaws.
The maximum floor area devoted to food will now be 45,000 square feet, and to non-food, 128,000 square feet, according to the preamble to the Official Plan amendment Cobourg councillors passed this week.
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Topics: Zoning Regulations | | Canada
Posted by Joel Nezianya on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 | Permalink
PLANS TABLED IN WYOMING COUNTY, PA
Wal-Mart SuperCenter plans tabled [Wyoming County Press Examiner (Pa.)]
The Wyoming County Planning Commission agreed on Wednesday to table plans for a 154,702 square foot Wal-Mart SuperCenter in Eaton Township.
County planner Paul Weilage recommended that the plans be tabled so that the county review could be completed.
“I have gone over a lot of it,” Weilage said. “At this point my review is not complete.”
Wal-Mart is proposing that the SuperCenter be built on Route 29, just south of Tunkhannock.
The store would be located near Skyhaven Airport and across from a current Wal-Mart building.
Wal-Mart is in a purchase agreement to buy the land from Select Sires of Plain City, Ohio.
Weilage said that a 90-day review of the plans began on Wednesday and that the planning office still must complete a review on landscape, handicap parking and other subjects.
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Topics: Traffic/Sprawl | Zoning Regulations |
Posted by Joel Nezianya on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 | Permalink
