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Wal-Marts near; neighbors angered

By DAVID DeCAMP
Published December 15, 2006

NEW PORT RICHEY - Two hotly contested Wal-Mart Supercenters could be closer to being built in Pasco County after key decisions this week.

A store planned at State Road 54 and Grand Boulevard won approval Tuesday after a 31/2 hour meeting by the county's Development Review Committee. Neighbors complained traffic will be too much, and argued the county failed to follow proper procedures - all but guaranteeing an appeal.

Farther north near Hudson, Wal-Mart officials want Beacon Woods residents to back a compromise tonight to win state approval for another store. The county has approved the plans for a supercenter at the abandoned Bayonet Point Mall at U.S. 19 and Beacon Woods Drive. But the Florida Department of Transportation wants another opening allowing cars to turn into the store from Beacon Woods Drive. A decision is due at a Dec. 28 meeting.

But progress on the projects did not sit well with some neighbors, particularly Tuesday's decision on the New Port Richey store.

"I always thought the county was supposed to be on the side of the people. Today they were on the side of developers," said Cynthia Besio, a Colonial Hills neighborhood organizer.

Neighbors wanted the DRC to stop Wal-Mart's 205,000-square-foot project. It was the second time the board reviewed the proposed store because the county failed to notify the neighbors when it originally approved the plans in May.

Opponents led off with an 11-point critique prepared by Wal-Mart critic Schuyler Ellis of Tampa. Ellis argued that the county failed to require that Wal-Mart receive variances and follow other development standards. They included the path of an access road on property Wal-Mart didn't own, the distance between entrances and a shortage of four required parking spaces.

As he spoke, white shirt untucked but arguments hewn to exact code citations, county development director Cindy Jolly and other staffers rustled through code and planning documents.

At the least, other approvals were necessary before the county green-lighted the project, said Ellis, 22, a full-time worker for Wal-Mart Alliance for Reform Now.

While acknowledging the plan fell short on some points, county officials tweaked the development agreement to add conditions to solve shortcomings. The DRC deemed it unnecessary to require variances, which trigger a whole new approval process.

County Administrator and DRC chairman John Gallagher said the changes were minor enough to not require variances, and conditions are often added. Wal-Mart's 26 acres are zoned already for commercial use.

Other neighbors complained another Wal-Mart was unnecessary with stores about 5 miles away. The New Port Richey City Council also opposed the location, which is just outside city limits.

In an e-mail to the county, council member Marilyn deChant noted "the negative impact that Wal-Mart brings into a community; cheap prices cheapens a community's image of itself."

With Tuesday's approval, Bezio said residents plan to appeal to the County Commission.

Seeking compromise

In Beacon Woods, Wal-Mart attorney Glenn Smith said the retail giant wants to continue with a plan that allows an exit-only driveway on Beacon Woods Drive. Wal-Mart, however, will offer a contingency plan: If agency officials later decide another entrance is needed, the driveway on Beacon Woods Drive would be altered to allow traffic to turn into the store.

Without that access, state engineers said, motorists might clog the highway waiting to turn into the store from two other driveways on U.S. 19.

If the extra traffic on Beacon Woods Drive causes problems for the neighborhood, Smith said, Wal-Mart would create a cul-de-sac or gated entrance to keep outside traffic from cutting through Beacon Woods.

Ann Bunting, president of the Beacon Woods Civic Association, supports that approach. But some other residents, led by opponent Dan Meahl, want the gated entrance or cul-de-sac added as part of any deal.

Wal-Mart needs the neighborhood's blessing to help convince transportation officials to back its 203,000-square-foot store, Smith said.

David DeCamp can be reached at 727 869-6232 or ddecamp@sptimes.com.

[Last modified December 14, 2006, 23:12:44]