MARK ANDERSEN / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Sunday, June 5, 2005 7:00 pm
Wal-Mart will keep shopping for a place to build its third Lincoln Super Center.
The Lincoln City Council split 3-3 Monday on a plan that would have allowed Wal-Mart to be part of a new shopping center at 84th and Adams streets.
Five votes were needed for the plan to move forward because the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission had recommended denial. Councilman Dan Marvin, who recently left the planning commission, abstained from Monday's vote.
Those voting against the plan cited traffic and harm to existing neighborhood stores as rationale. None who voted in favor offered explanations.
This was the only site Wal-Mart had been considering, said attorney Tom Houston, representing the company. He added that a number of property owners have contacted him about changing the location.
A question he's had, Houston said, was whether there is opposition to a third Wal-Mart anywhere in Lincoln or just at this location.
"Not at this location is what I'm hearing," he said, trying to interpret the council's message.
Wal-Mart had invested $100,000 developing the site plan and was prepared to spend about $10 million for the store and related improvements. It was the size of the store that necessitated a council vote.
Wal-Mart comprised about one third of the 320-acre Prairie Village development proposed in the area.
Peter Katt, an attorney representing the developer, Prairie Home Builders, said his client would have no problem finding smaller stores to complete the project.
Voting in favor of allowing Wal-Mart were council members Robin Eschliman, Ken Svoboda and Jon Camp. Voting against were members Patte Newman, Annette McRoy and Jonathan Cook
Newman said that of the more than 70 opinions shared with her on the issue, only two had supported allowing Wal-Mart.
"Big-box retail is too intense for this property," she said.
Discussion at an earlier public hearing had focused on which corner at 84th and Adams to place the Wal-Mart. The store would have too great an effect for any of the corners, Newman said.
Cook said the store would harm three nearby neighborhood retail centers.
Marvin said the 31,000 vehicle trips per day generated by the store would overload 84th Street, which he described as the city's de facto eastern beltway.
A real eastern beltway is perhaps 20 to 30 years away, he said. That makes it imperative, he said, to prevent traffic congestion on 84th Street.
Reach Mark Andersen at 473-7238 or mandersen@journalstar.com.