IOWA SITE FIGHT: BOARD RULES DESPITE CITIZENS’ OBJECTIONS

New Wal-Mart approved by city board [The Fairfield (Iowa) Ledger]

Plans for a 98,000-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter in Fairfield can move forward.

Despite protests from an overflow crowd at the Fairfield City Hall Council Chambers, the city’s Board of Adjustments voted unanimously Tuesday evening to grant the business a conditional-use permit to build a facility larger than 15,000 square feet. The board did not, however, grant the company a variance to the city’s landscaping requirements.

During the public hearing, several people expressed concerns about an expansion’s effect on the local economy. Fairfield resident Catherine Castle said she witnessed the damage to local businesses when Wal-Mart first came to the community. Fairfield has revived its local businesses, and the businesses deserve the opportunity to flourish, she said.

“Why do we need a larger Wal-Mart?” Castle asked. “This one serves this town very well.”

Dairy Radiance owner Francis Thicke said approving the store’s request would be a step in the wrong direction. The new trend is to buy local, and Fairfield needs to support its local businesses, he said.

But Wal-Mart’s attorney Curtis Ward said, “I don’t think that a business that has survived Wal-Mart’s being here for 20 years is in danger of competition from a 98,000-square-foot Supercenter unless you’re in the grocery business.”

The proposed facility, which would include a grocery store and deli, is intended to compete with Hy-Vee Food Store, he said. The new Wal-Mart would offer a better shopping experience than the current facility with wider aisles and better lighting, he said.

Board of Adjustments Chairman Ross Walker asked about what would happen with the empty building. Wal-Mart’s civil engineering consultant Joe Feldman said the company has a marketing department that searches for suitable users of empty storefronts. The company has a good success rate for filling empty buildings when Wal-Mart owns the building, which it does in this case, Ward added.

Another Fairfield woman questioned whether Wal-Mart’s expansion would enhance the city’s status as a Great Place, and Lonnie Gamble said the company’s plans aren’t in sync with the city’s 10-year strategic plan.

Jim Rubis asked the board to delay its decision until they could review all the material documenting the negative impacts of Wal-Mart.

However, not everyone at the meeting opposed the expansion. Daryn Hamilton pointed to the numerous charitable contributions the company has made to the community - Ward said the company has donated more than $20,000 to Fairfield organizations in 2007 - and Fairfield resident Darlene Drake said she shops at the Supercenter in Ottumwa, so why not build one here and keep money in the community.

“We think we have complied with what you told us to do in order to modernize and upgrade our store, and we hope that you will view our application in that sense and treat us no differently than anyone else who wants to modernize and expand a business that already employs a hundred of your citizens,” Ward said, seeking approval from the board.

After closing the public hearing and reviewing the company’s request, the four-person board voted unanimously to grant a conditional use permit.

Board member Ed Kelenyi said he had reviewed several studies and did not find legitimacy to all of the allegations against Wal-Mart.

“If people do not like Wal-Mart, they do have the freedom not to work there or to shop there,” he said.

Wal-Mart will have to meet the city’s landscaping requirements, which in effect will double the number of trees the company was proposing for the parking lot.