Gwinnett, GA. Good Fences Make…
Is Wal-Mart a bad neighbor? [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]
It may be one of the most routine experiences in American life: heading to Wal-Mart to buy groceries, some clothes or a bike.
It’s so common that the world’s largest retailer expects to open a new U.S. store, on average, every other day this year.
Most open with little fanfare. Yet in some places — such as Duluth — word that the giant is coming will shake the community like little else can.
People flood City Hall. They shout. They question the chain’s impact on everything from local businesses to the environment to its own employees.
In Duluth, controversy has raged since Wal-Mart unveiled plans to build a 176,305-square-foot Supercenter on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.
People have packed meetings, carried protest signs, collected signatures and fired off angry e-mails. The City Council imposed a six-month moratorium on large-scale developments to study their impact. The man who wants to sell 27 acres to Wal-Mart, Jack Bandy, has sued Duluth and the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals.
To Wal-Mart spokesman Glen Wilkins, the company’s commitment to Duluth is an example of its strategy of building near customers.
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Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Monday, December 03 | 0 comments | Permalink
Duluth, GA. Wal-Mart Faces New Obstacles
Wal-Mart faces new obstacles [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]
Duluth’s Zoning Board of Appeals meets Wednesday night to consider yet another item regarding the proposed Wal-Mart on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.
THE ISSUE
The retailer’s appeal, which was postponed from October, concerns the building permit it applied for in August. The city’s former planning director denied the permit, citing the city’s adoption of a moratorium on large-scale buildings.THE BACKGROUND
Last month, the Zoning Board of Appeals sided with opponents of the store and ruled that the former director of planning had overstepped her bounds in approving tweaked designs to the retailer’s store.WHAT COULD HAPPEN
If the board agrees with Wal-Mart, it could overturn the former planning director’s decision. That would clear the way for Wal-Mart to reapply for a building permit — once the city lifts its moratorium on large-scale buildings. If the board disagrees with Wal-Mart, the former planning director’s decision will stand. The board could also delay a decision on the question and postpone a ruling until it meets again on Dec. 18.THE DETAILS
The board meets at Duluth’s City Hall, 3578 W. Lawrenceville St., at 7 p.m.
Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Wednesday, November 28 | 0 comments | Permalink
Carson City, NV. Citizens Raise Concerns
Neighbors say Wal-Mart is too noisy [Nevada Appeal]
Wal-Mart says it’s tried to keep quiet but residents near the Carson City store say it is too loud too early and the city should do something about it.
The city planning commission will look at the issue that has come out of complaints officials have received since January about noise from trucks and machines. The city has hosted four meetings between the store and residents during that time.
Wal-Mart Store Manager Scott Yoder said the store wants to be a “good neighbor” and has made changes to deal with the noise. The store has posted a special attendant, installed cameras to watch out for problems and moved back its receiving time for trucks in the morning, he has said.
The store has many trucks coming each day, however, and “it’s a complex situation we’re trying to deal with,” he said.
The store did well June through October in keeping the noise down, according to the city planning division, which makes recommendations to the planning commission, but then the city started getting complaints again.
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Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Tuesday, November 27 | 0 comments | Permalink
Daytona Beach, FL. Look at the Big Picture
Missing the big picture as Wal-Mart plans for us [Daytona Beach News Journal]
Wal-Mart is the world’s largest retailer but elected officials in our community are treating it like “Joe’s Ice Cream Shoppe.” Apparently, it plans to double its sales here. That will have a profound effect. Not being considered are the loss of local stores in convenient locations, the loss of a merchant class that supports all manner of community affairs and reduction of job quality for employees. These effects are well documented elsewhere. Our local governments are not up to the task of dealing with this company’s plan.
Please do not mistake this as a diatribe about Wal-Mart. It would apply regardless of the company involved.
In making its plan for this area, the company is armed with elaborate studies and reports on its operations. These obviously give it confidence that it can increase its business here substantially. Consequently, it has a sophisticated plan for this area. The plan announced so far starts with a new distribution center. New stores to join the seven already here are proposed. We do not know what additional stores may be part of the plan.
Many local businesses report poor sales. Neither population nor retail sales are increasing, so where are the customers? What does Wal-Mart know about us that existing stores do not? Based on its plan, the company has applied for the necessary permits from the various governments involved.
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Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Monday, November 26 | 0 comments | Permalink
Venice, FL. Wal-Mart Plan Appealed…Again
Wal-Mart site plan appealed [Venice Gondolier (Fla.)]
Another Venice Planning Commission decision is being appealed.
Attorneys for Renaissance Retail Center developers filed an appeal last week of the Venice Planning Commission’s denial of a Wal-Mart site plan.
The site plan was considered on Nov. 6, after the applicant submitted a revised plan with new architectural renderings.
Commissioners felt the site plan didn’t go far enough in addressing their concerns about the lack of green space, too many parking spaces, lack of pedestrian interconnectivity, architectural style and other issues.
In his letter notifying the city of the appeal, Mark Barnebey of Kirk Pinkerton in Sarasota said the applicant requested a continuance of the hearing in order to gather more comments from the planning commission to revise the project.
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Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Wednesday, November 21 | 0 comments | Permalink
Daytona Beach, FL. Wal-Mart Tries to Remove Trees
Madison Ave. residents, Wal-Mart negotiate on new store [Daytona Beach News-Journal (Fla.)]
On Thanksgiving Eve, officials with Wal-Mart hope to push through their plans to put in a new super center on Nova Road between Mason and Madison avenues.
The City Commission will be asked to give final approval to rezone the area to allow the store and authorize the company to take out numerous “historic” trees from the site.
But members of the Kingston Community Group, whose members live in the area, are trying to get some concessions beforehand.
Pastor Evans L. Smith of Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church on Madison Avenue said members are scheduled to meet with Wal-Mart officials, along with City Manager Jim Chisholm and Mayor Glenn Ritchey, at City Hall on Tuesday.
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Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Monday, November 19 | 0 comments | Permalink
Volusia County, FL. Joins the Fight Against Wal-Mart
Volusia joins fight against Wal-Mart [Daytona beach News Journal (Fla.)]
Volusia County is joining the state Department of Community Affairs and a citizens group in a legal battle against Putnam County’s plan for a Wal-Mart distribution center across the rural county line.
Volusia filed a petition Thursday to intervene on the side of the Department of Community Affairs, which last month rejected Putnam’s land-use change for the center, according to court documents.
Frank Bruno, Volusia County chairman, said he hopes the petition will pressure the state department to order the 1.1 million-square-foot Wal-Mart moved from its planned location off two-lane U.S. 17.
And if the state and Putnam settle their differences, Volusia could find itself aligned with the citizens group fighting Putnam and the state, officials say.
The citizens group, Lake Crescent Citizens for Responsible Growth, was pleased that Volusia would bring its expertise and resources into the litigation to fight Wal-Mart.
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Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Monday, November 12 | 0 comments | Permalink
Duluth, GA. Residents Sound Off on Wal-Mart
Gwinnett Opinions: Opinions vary on Wal-Mart decision [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]
Duluth blogger Bill Allen wrote last week about the battle over a proposed new Wal-Mart Supercenter in Duluth. The following are some of the comments exchanged on ajc.com about his column. The names listed are ones the respondents chose to use online.
> Let the taxpayers of Duluth outbid Wal-Mart for Mr. [Jack] Bandy’s property. When a city changes its zoning after the fact because the townsfolk stormed the gates, they should pay the gentleman for the property.
Wal-Mart is the big bad guy because it did everything legally? Smart Growth Gwinnett, come on. Don’t you think it is a little late for that?
Come election day, just remember who makes the laws and does the zoning. Hint: It’s not Wal-Mart.
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Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Monday, November 12 | 0 comments | Permalink
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