Wal-Mart plan draws divided crowd

With protestors giving away hastily printed anti-Wal-Mart shirts on the steps of Historic City Hall and police herding last-minute attendees into three overflow rooms, a carnival atmosphere accompanied the Feb. 11 Springfield City Council meeting.  

Nearly 50 people who addressed council were passionate but divided during a 4-hour public hearing for a rezoning proposal near the intersection of Campbell Avenue and Grand Street. Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to build a fifth Neighborhood Market in Springfield, and the megaretailer is seeking council approval to rezone about 6 acres at 444 W. Grand St. and 427–515 W. Normal St. to a general retail district with a conditional overlay district from residential high density and residential single family. On Jan. 24, the Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission recommended council’s approval with a 5-2 vote after the retailer agreed to put in a traffic barrier to the neighborhood behind the store.

During the council meeting, 28 speakers opposed the plans, while 21 supported it. Those opposed included businesspeople, nearby residents and members of a grassroots organization called Stand Up to Wal-Mart.

Pyramid Foods President and CEO Erick Taylor – who last month said the proposed Neighborhood Market could lead to the closure of the company’s downtown Bistro Market by Price Cutter – argued at the meeting a Wal-Mart at the site would exacerbate center city traffic hazards. He also said the store would be a detriment to downtown businesses, a theme that reverberated throughout the night among those opposed.

“There are five Springfield public schools within 1 mile of this proposed zoning change – two elementary schools, one middle school, one high school and Phelps Center for the Gifted. Missouri State University is also approximately 1 mile away from this location,” Taylor said. “I am concerned for Springfield students because this is a dangerous four-lane intersection.

“I do not believe that adding a 10th Wal-Mart to Springfield by our growing center city will improve our quality of life. It will only have a negative impact on our downtown.”

Other businesspeople to speak against the plans were Bo Hagerman of Bates & Associates Inc. and Bruno Gargiulo, owner of downtown Italian restaurant Bruno’s. David Klotz, a member of Stand Up to Wal-Mart, which has 499 “likes” on its Facebook page established Jan. 25, said the proposed store would have a significant negative impact on downtown. “This is not just another yogurt shop,” Klotz said.

The Wal-Mart opponents also cited increased vehicle traffic concerns as well as a loss of foot traffic should Price Cutter close its Bistro Market.

Lee Cannon, a traffic engineer hired by Wal-Mart, said widening Grand to the south to include a center turning lane and limiting access to the store to two entry- and exit-ways, as well as blocking off Normal Street to the west of one entrance near Campbell, would alleviate traffic problems.

However, council members Scott Bailes and Jan Fisk were skeptical, pointing out that left turns onto Grand during peak driving times could be dangerous.

Representing Wal-Mart, St. Charles attorney Keith Hazelwood said greenspace would be added to cover the existing Calvary Temple/Life 360 church parking lot, and the retailer would agree not to build on the 1.8-acre space to help ease traffic concerns. The suggestion led Councilwoman Cindy Rushefsky to call for an amendment of the conditional overlay district to put the offer in writing, a move unanimously approved.

Calvary Temple Pastor Tom Cederblom said the church has wanted to sell the 50-year-old property with foundational problems and asbestos since he arrived to lead the church about three years ago. The congregation, which has dwindled in membership from about 1,000 in the 1980s to roughly 250, holds Sunday service in the gymnasium because he said the rest of the church was “unusable.”

“We know in our hearts that one day we will have to tear it down,” Cederblom said, estimating it would take up to 10 years to raise the funds for demolition. “One year ago, when Wal-Mart approached our congregation about buying our property, we considered it then, and consider it now, an answer to our prayers.”

He said the congregation voted 165-3 in favor of selling the property.

Bill Hennessy, a Calvary Temple/Life 360 church member, said congregation members spoke with 46 neighbors at 70 nearby homes and found 10 who were opposed to the sale, 10 who were indifferent or had no opinion, and 26 who supported the move.

Crystal Kincaid, a mother and resident of 515 W. Normal St., said she has found syringes in the alleyway behind the church and near her yard. She said demolishing the building and putting in a well-lit retail center would improve the neighborhood.

“It has to be better than a rundown church and an empty Pizza Hut,” Kincaid said.

Wal-Mart representatives said a 167-space parking lot would be located at the southwest corner of Grand and Campbell, where the former Pizza Hut is located, to serve the 41,170-square-foot proposed grocery store.

Council is expected to vote on the zoning change Feb. 25.

New man on council
Mike Carroll, controller at Andy’s Frozen Custard, was selected at a Feb. 11 council luncheon to fill the council seat vacated in November by Tom Bieker.

Carroll beat out finalists Tom Barr, director of business development for Ozark Mailing Service LLC, and Dean Young, co-founder of Heim Young & Associates Inc. Carroll was sworn in to start the evening council meeting.

Immediately following the meeting, Carroll said his diverse business and legal background is likely the reason he was selected.

“I have experience in economic development. I have a law degree, and I have a significant accounting, tax and financial background. I think those skills are valuable on council, and I think they add to the overall functionality and decision-making of council,” Carroll said.

Bieker, who resigned from General Seat D on Nov. 2, cited an ineligibility to serve after moving to a house outside of city limits.