Bonita, FL. Staff Says “NO!” To Wal-Mart

City staff recommends against Bonita Wal-Mart [Bonita Daily News (Fla.)]

Bonita Springs can’t handle a Wal-Mart.

This message was sent loud and clear by the city’s community development staff on Wednesday in its evaluation of the company’s request to put a store east of Interstate 75 on Bonita Beach Road.

The proposal calls for 395,000 square feet of commercial and office space for a big box store and a few outlying shops on 68 acres that is zoned for agricultural and living uses. The Roberts Group is asking the City Council to change the zoning so a Wal-Mart can be built.

The problem is the Wal-Mart will generate too much traffic, the evaluation says, particularly for the I-75/Bonita Beach Road interchange. This has been an issue with all the proposed developments for that area.

“It is going to take a combined effort from the state, the county, the city and the developers to come up with the funding to improve that Bonita Beach Road/I-75 intersection so the development can be allowed,” Mayor Jay Arend said.

Wednesday’s staff report is one of two recommendations made to the council. The other recommendation will come from the zoning advisory board in its hearing Sept. 28.

The City Council could hear the case as early as Oct. 22.

Wal-Mart can always counter the city traffic consultant’s evaluation to say the traffic generated by the new store won’t be an overburden to that area, but it is still up to the City Council to decide who is right.

“I’m becoming very skeptical of the numbers we are getting from these developers,” Councilman Richard Ferreira said. “Traffic is a major concern for me, and I plan to ask them specific questions on how they will help fix the problems.”

The Roberts Group traffic consultant and its attorney could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.

However, even if the council members determine Bonita Springs transportation system can’t handle the traffic, the city can’t deny Wal-Mart’s application because of traffic concerns. A new Florida law says it has to be granted as long as the company is willing to help pay to improve the transportation system, and, so far, the Roberts Group has been very cooperative.

“If they are working on fixing it, then we can’t deny them,” City Attorney Audrey Vance said.

That could leave the city in a position where it has to approve the big box store even though its own consultant says it would be potentially crippling to the traffic in the area.

Because of this, the community development staff suggests holding Wal-Mart to a number of conditions if its application is approved.

Among them, the Roberts Group would have to pay its fair share to improve Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Grande Drive, the I-75 interchange and Trade Way Drive. The company would also have to realign the Bonita Beach Road/Bonita Grande Drive intersection so it is safer for cars to travel.

“They gave zoning approval in other cases, so how can you say no to this?” Councilwoman Martha Simons said. “We have traffic issues in that area that need to be taken care of.”

Other conditions for approval say Wal-Mart must have 50-foot setbacks from the road; allow only half of its 45,000 square feet of office space to be used for medical offices; maintain 13 acres of open space; come up with a plan to preserve all the gopher tortoises, fox squirrels, wading birds and alligators; and equip all shopping carts with special electronic locks that renders them useless if they leave the property.