Exemption sought for Wal-Mart supercenter

The retailer says the new ordinance was passed after its plans were approved.

By BRADY DENNIS

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 5, 2001

ZEPHYRHILLS -- With Wal-Mart set to close on the property May 15 for its new supercenter on U.S. 301, company officials are requesting an exemption from a new city ordinance that would require extra landscaping and other restrictions on the site.

The City Council passed the so-called "big box" ordinance -- which applies to retail centers more than 25,000 square feet -- on April 23.

Patterned after a similar ordinance in Citrus County, it requires that any large building include significant breaks and the appearance of multiple buildings, rather than becoming an enormous warehouse with unbroken, blank walls.

It also requires design features such as landscaping between every 10 parking apaces, an extensive exterior lighting system and no visible facades longer than 100 feet.

City Manager Steve Spina told council members at the April 23 meeting that because the city already approved the building plans, the building itself would be exempt from the ordinance.

But that left the question of whether the rest of the site -- the parking lot, landscaping and surrounding land -- would be subject to the new requirements.

Wal-Mart officials called Spina complaining that the site plans for the new store were 90 percent finished, and having to alter them for the new ordinance would cause considerable and costly delay.

The project had received a big boost forward recently after Wal-Mart and the state Department of Transportation finally agreed to an entranceway to the site on U.S. 301 and access to Kissik Road with a frontage road.

So Spina called a special council meeting for Monday to discuss whether to exempt Wal-Mart from the ordinance.

"I felt like it wasn't really fair to change the rules on them in the middle of everything," Spina said. "That's not a good way to do business."

Spina said even if the new Wal-Mart supercenter ends up with more of a big box look than city officials had hoped for, the ordinance will still prevent such designs in local retail centers in the future.

"We've got a lot at stake here," Spina said.

"A whole lot more at stake than a couple of isles in the parking lot. Besides, they said they would compromise."

Council president Cathi Compton said she didn't see a problem with granting the exemption for Wal-Mart.

"One thing I was going to look for was where they were off from the ordinance, what criteria were they not meeting," Compton said.

"I know that particular Wal-Mart supercenters I have seen, I don't think they take on that big box appearance."

Council members likely will vote on the exemption at the special meeting at 5 p.m. Monday.

Wal-Mart officials did not return phone calls Friday.

- Brady Dennis covers the city of Zephyrhills and police news in east Pasco. His phone number is 352-521-5757, ext. 23.

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