[Vision2020] Ordinance Change Could Keep Walmart in Moscow

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News.

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Ordinance change could keep Walmart in Moscow

Moscow city leaders are considering reversing a zoning ordinance created
in 2005 to halt the expansion of Walmart into a super center.

The new motive? Keep Walmart in town.

As it stands, no building 65,000 square feet or larger may expand more
than 10 percent of its current size or more than 10,000 square feet.

The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold its second hearing Wednesday
to consider removing the square-foot expansion restriction and allow
65,000 square foot buildings to expand within 30 percent of their size.

A decision whether to change the Large Retail Enterprise Ordinance will be
made no sooner than June, Community Development Director Bill Belknap
said.

Walmart recently announced its intent to close the 94,000 square-foot
Moscow location for an indeterminate amount of time.

Spokesman Josh Phair said the decision whether to close the store
indefinitely hinges in part on the city’s actions.

“It would definitely in our view be a step in the right direction,” Phair
said. “We would be able to make a decision pretty quickly (afterword).”

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Seeya at the CommUNITY Walk, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown