City wants to spiff up look of big box stores

Zephyrhills leaders are happy about the planned Wal-Mart Supercenter, but they also would like it to be a pretty one.

By BRADY DENNIS

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 28, 2001

ZEPHYRHILLS -- City leaders can't wait for the arrival of a proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter off U.S. 301. It means new tax revenue, more jobs and a shopping hot spot.

But they want to make sure the finished product doesn't look like a "big box," a gaudy collection of concrete blocks and pavement.

So Monday, city officials began discussing an ordinance that would require retail stores larger than 25,000 square feet to have prominent entrances, parapets to shield rooftop equipment from public view and patterns on walls that are longer than 100 feet.

Another likely requirement would be landscaping along half of the facade and between every 10 parking spaces.

"We are trying to avoid the "big box' syndrome," city planner Todd Vande Berg told council members. "We want to try to make these large retail centers fit in better."

Citrus County already adopted such an ordinance in January. City leaders here seem anxious to follow suit after Vande Berg presented the idea Monday night.

City manager Steve Spina said the city already has encouraged similar projects in the Silver Oaks subdivision and the city's industrial park.

"We are trying to set an atmosphere that is appealing," Spina said. "I think we've been very much in the forefront in trying to do progressive development. And this is just another step in that direction."

Vande Berg said a more defined ordinance will be presented at upcoming council meetings.

In other council news:

Council members voted 3-1 to extend the time limit for bids on Aerocenter, a 24,000-square-foot hangar and 4.4 acres of land the city purchased last year.

After the initial 30-day bidding period, the city received only two bids for the center, only one of which met the minimum bid criteria. Despite objections from airport manager Jim Werme, council members voted to open the bidding for another 90 days.

"I think we probably made the right decision, but I'm a little nervous," Spina said. "We were stuck: Do we take the safe sure thing or go out on a limb? It seems that it wouldn't hurt to look around a little more."

Council members unanimously adopted the so-called "tree ordinance," which creates a six-person City Tree Board to develop more comprehensive plans for care, planting and removal of trees.

"It just beefs up what has been pretty lax tree rules and regulations," Spina said recently.

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