Public speaks out against Wal-Mart coming
Like it or not south Logan will soon be home to a new Wal-Mart Supercenter.
Despite the efforts of many protesters, the Logan City Planning Commission approved new design plans for the Logan south-end business, Thursday night around 9 p.m.
Plans for a parking lot large enough for 1,004 stalls and a store front of 555 feet, creating a grand total of over 200,000 square feet, will be the home of one-stop shopping.
Building designs promise to spatter the parking lot with trees and other green foliage, making it conducive to the Spring Creek area, in which the building will be erected. But some local residents say that despite Wal-Mart’s best efforts, they just don’t want a second Supercenter.
Over 300 protesters marched down Main Street in Logan Thursday afternoon from the Macey’s parking lot to the City Hall carrying signs and chanting “Do your part! Stop Wal-Mart!”
Protesters ranged from young children to the elderly and included residents from Logan and other nearby towns, but they all shared a common goal: Stop Wal-Mart.
Local resident, Ian Innocenti, said he noticed the crowd moving down Main Street and decided to check it out. He said he joined in the march because he supports small businesses.
“If you like a different kind of pants you can get them in smaller businesses. At Wal-Mart you get Wal-Mart pants,” Innocenti said.
Many protesters have similar reasons for not wanting a second Wal-Mart in Logan.
“I don’t think we should have two Wal-Marts and a Sam’s Club in the middle,” Protester John Stewart said. He feels so adamant about not having another Wal-Mart in Logan, he rode his bike from Mendon all the way to Logan just to have his voice heard.
Janet Bergeson, local mother of three, said she will stop shopping at Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club altogether.
“I no longer want to support the Walton empire. I will drive down to Ogden for Costco, ” Bergeson said.
City Council member Steve Thompson said he too opposes Wal-Mart because he supports small businesses.
“I personally believe Wal-Mart hurts America,” Thompson said. In his opinion, Wal-Mart decimates communities.
“Corporate policies open a new store and then close the old store across town,” Thompson said. He fears the same thing will happen here in Logan, leaving a huge empty building and parking lot on the north end of town, where Wal-Mart is currently located.
Although Thompson quietly stood among the protesters, he was generous enough in his concern, to donate hundreds of t-Shirts protesters wore proclaiming their dislike for Wal-Mart.
Michael Timons, a professor of architect at Utah State University, opposes Wal-Mart because of its architectural design.
“Building a 1,000 stall parking lot at the beginning of a city is certainly not the thing to do to create an open community, ” Timons said. In fact, he says he uses this type of design to teach his students what not to do.
Because design of the new Wal-Mart is creating such an uproar in the community, Logan City Council Planning Commission members held a public meeting yesterday evening to discuss the specific ramifications for the design for the new building. So far there are 59 components in the design that Wal-Mart must adhere to before building can commence.
Many residents took advantage of the opportunity to speak during the public forum in front of the Planning Commission, raising several of their concerns about the design. Residents’ complaints and concerns included noise ordinances, placement of Wal-Mart entrances, sizing of the store’s front signs, air pollution, increased traffic, pedestrian safety, light pollution, preservation of the Spring Creek area, snow removal, flooding and concerns for the surrounding ecological enviornment. One resident is even concerned about the lack of bike racks available.
Although most of the speakers were in protest of Wal-Mart, there were also supporters that spoke in favor of the project. Ron Meacham, owner of Cache County Carpets, is being forced to relocate his business but said he thinks the design is beautiful and hopes it will improve the existing site.
“There’s an old trailer park on the west side. The whole lot just looks like a junk yard,” Meacham said.
After hearing the public’s opinions the forum was closed. Troy Hearold, engineering design representative for the Wal-Mart project, offered answers to questions and solutions to problems.
He stated that Wal-Mart has made several concessions to make this a better project for the community and will continue to do so.
The City Planning Commission then tweaked the 59 already existing design conditions, according to concerns brought forth by the public during the forum. The new building design passed. These new requirements along with the previous 59 will have to be met by Wal-Mart in the final design.
Wal-Mart store manager Ron Tuttle said he thinks Wal-Mart will be a great neighbor to the community. But are the protesters satisfied?
“I’m not happy about it,” said Kevin Bailey, one of the last protesters to leave last night’s meeting.
He said he’ll do whatever he can to prevent a second Wal-Mart in Logan.
-cpope@cc.usu.edu
Tami Pyfer gives some facts about the propsed Wal-Mart. Protestors marched from Macey´s to the city hall. (Michael Sharp)