78,000 sf Walmart coming to SoWal [opening June15]

[Just Curious]

It is going to happen.

 

[Kurt]

By DOTTY NIST

The Defuniak Herald ? WALMART PROPOSAL CLEARS DESIGN REVIEW BOARD

With a compromise on the size of the store name lettering, south Walton County’s first Walmart project garnered a favorable decision from the Scenic Corridor Design Review Board (DRB) on Jan. 7.

This was the last public hearing for the 78,000-square-foot project, which is planned for a 10-acre parcel at the northwest corner of U.S. 98 and West Hewett Road. The store is to be the initial development of the St. Joe Company’s 116-acre Topsail West Planned Unit Development (PUD). The store is to be constructed on U.S. 98 and therefore was required to be reviewed by the DRB for conformance with the county’s U.S. 98 Scenic Corridor Standards.

The only decision before the DRB on Jan. 7 was whether to approve a deviation for the size of the “Walmart” lettering on the front of the store, so discussion and public comment were limited to that issue.

At the DRB’s Dec. 3 public hearing on the proposal, board members had approved the architecture, site plan, signage, landscaping, and all other aesthetics-related details of the proposal except for the requested deviation on the building sign lettering. Also approved was a color deviation from the corridor standards to allow the use of a medium blue and a “toasty brown” color. Then, on Dec. 16, the Technical Review Committee, the other board tasked with publicly reviewing the project, approved the proposal on the condition that technical comments from board members were addressed.

This is to be the first Walmart in Florida with a new design and different colors from those associated in the past with Walmart. At 78,000 square feet, the store will be just half the size of the Walmarts in nearby Destin.

Company representatives had requested a 5-foot-6-inch letter height for the Walmart lettering that will appear on the “brand wall” on the top front of the store building, whereas the corridor standards set a maximum of 36 inches for letter height on building signs. At their previous meeting, DRB members had suggested a scaling down of the deviation request. Therefore, on Jan. 7 Walmart representatives presented the option of 4-foot-6-inch-tall lettering along with their preferred 5-foot-6-inch version.

There were more than two dozen attendees at the Jan. 7 DRB meeting, some critical of the proposal and others wearing “Yes to Walmart” buttons.

Representing the Scenic Corridor Association board, Merlin Allan urged the board members to “stick to your guns” regarding the building sign lettering size. He warned that if they did not, they would risk becoming “a committee of deviations,” with numerous requests for this type of exception.

Allan suggested moving the building closer to the highway if the visibility of the building sign was a concern. Plans are for the store to sit approximately 380 feet from the nearest travel lane of U.S. 98.

Grayton Beach resident Kitty Taylor expressed hope for a compromise regarding the building sign….

Read the full story in the Jan. 14, 2010 edition of the Herald Breeze.

 

[Kurt]

By DOTTY NIST

The Defuniak Herald ? WALMART PROPOSAL CLEARS DESIGN REVIEW BOARD

With a compromise on the size of the store name lettering, south Walton County?s first Walmart project garnered a favorable decision from the Scenic Corridor Design Review Board (DRB) on Jan. 7.

This was the last public hearing for the 78,000-square-foot project, which is planned for a 10-acre parcel at the northwest corner of U.S. 98 and West Hewett Road. The store is to be the initial development of the St. Joe Company?s 116-acre Topsail West Planned Unit Development (PUD). The store is to be constructed on U.S. 98 and therefore was required to be reviewed by the DRB for conformance with the county?s U.S. 98 Scenic Corridor Standards.

The only decision before the DRB on Jan. 7 was whether to approve a deviation for the size of the ?Walmart? lettering on the front of the store, so discussion and public comment were limited to that issue.

At the DRB?s Dec. 3 public hearing on the proposal, board members had approved the architecture, site plan, signage, landscaping, and all other aesthetics-related details of the proposal except for the requested deviation on the building sign lettering. Also approved was a color deviation from the corridor standards to allow the use of a medium blue and a ?toasty brown? color. Then, on Dec. 16, the Technical Review Committee, the other board tasked with publicly reviewing the project, approved the proposal on the condition that technical comments from board members were addressed.

This is to be the first Walmart in Florida with a new design and different colors from those associated in the past with Walmart. At 78,000 square feet, the store will be just half the size of the Walmarts in nearby Destin.

Company representatives had requested a 5-foot-6-inch letter height for the Walmart lettering that will appear on the ?brand wall? on the top front of the store building, whereas the corridor standards set a maximum of 36 inches for letter height on building signs. At their previous meeting, DRB members had suggested a scaling down of the deviation request. Therefore, on Jan. 7 Walmart representatives presented the option of 4-foot-6-inch-tall lettering along with their preferred 5-foot-6-inch version.

There were more than two dozen attendees at the Jan. 7 DRB meeting, some critical of the proposal and others wearing ?Yes to Walmart? buttons.

Representing the Scenic Corridor Association board, Merlin Allan urged the board members to ?stick to your guns? regarding the building sign lettering size. He warned that if they did not, they would risk becoming ?a committee of deviations,? with numerous requests for this type of exception.

Allan suggested moving the building closer to the highway if the visibility of the building sign was a concern. Plans are for the store to sit approximately 380 feet from the nearest travel lane of U.S. 98.

Grayton Beach resident Kitty Taylor expressed hope for a compromise regarding the building sign?.

Read the full story in the Jan. 14, 2010 edition of the Herald Breeze.

 

[beachFool]

WalMart -Another Take

From Walton Sun
January 16, 2009


When Walmart opens you will see our car in the parking lot. Our combined health insurance deductible is $10,000 and since we are not 65, thus, ineligible for national health insurance (aka Medicare) controlling health care costs is a top priority. Susan?s meds are cheaper there but most of our shopping won?t change one iota.
My first complaint about the Bentonville behemoth is right off the bat they want us to change our rules for them. If Walmart wants to come here then follow the same guidelines as everyone else. Take a clue from Grand Boulevard, retail doesn?t have to be obnoxious.
When you dig deeper into Walmart you find some disturbing facts. Namely, their aggressive expansion strategy has been fueled in no small part by taxpayers. In 2004, Walmart collected over $1 billioninstateandlocalgovernment subsidies. For more information see ?Shopping for Subsidies: How Walmart Uses Taxpayer Money to Finance Its Never-ending Growth.? One strategy employed is abatement of local property taxes. In this era of declining revenue due to lower property values it would be the height of idiocy to give Walmart a property tax break. Hopefully, sane heads will prevail but this is Walton County. A corollary of Walmart?s tax avoidance strategy is strenuously challenging assessments. A report ?Rolling Back Property Tax Payments? found that Walmart averaged $40,000 per challenge. Since there is no free lunch other taxpayers have to pony up the money.
Additionally Walmart requests infrastructure assistance (service roads, water and sewer) from local, state or federal governments. Walton County should not help the world?s largest corporation if we are reducing expenses at our local libraries. If they want to build here let them do it on their own dime. For the record, Walmart spent $1.1 million and $600,000 respectively in Community Block Grants for infrastructure from the Department of Housing and Urban Development at their Palatka and Zephyrhills stores.
Local businesses are facing a clear and present danger more dire than a Walmart ribbon-cutting. Due to the design of the Florida Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund increases become automatic when the Fund falls below 4 percent of taxable payroll. We zeroed the account balance on Aug. 29, 2009.
Unless changes are made, Robert Babin, Florida Department of Revenue legislative service director, believes this will be the highest unemployment tax hike small businesses have ever seen. But the skyrocketing tax increase could have been easily avoided. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provided $444 million in federal stimulus dollars tied to unemployment compensation ? for Florida. The stimulus plan presciently acknowledged that during dire economic times unemployment benefits are extremely beneficial since they goose the economy rapidly. Congressional Budget Office director Douglas Elmendorf and Moody.com co-founder Mark Zandi are two experts who specifically cite direct transfers, like unemployment benefits, as having a ?significant impact on Gross Domestic Product.? People who receive these benefits are hardpressed and will quickly spend the financial aid
In a peculiar logic, not unlike a circular firing squad, the Republican-controlled Florida legislature rejected the funds. Of course when they said no, the fund was not broke, but in a precipitous decline. In the first six months of 2009, the fund balance went from $1.3 billion to under $450 million so the handwriting was on the wall.
One may wonder, since the trust fund cupboard is bare, how Floridians receive unemployment benefits. Elementary, we are borrowing the money from the federal government. That?s right, it was offered gratis, but we said no. So now taxes must be raised in order to continue paying benefits and to repay the borrowed money.
Buz Livingston is a certified financial planner. He operates Livingston Financial Planning Inc. Contact at 850-267-1068 or at buz@ LivingstonFinancial.net.

 

[Seagrove Lover]

I agree woth Geo.

We are talking about 98 right....not 30a.

I remember just recently (last 5 years) when I had to drive 7 miles to grocery store in PC instead of near 30a at Watercolors. I love that we are going to have better convenience for stuff, that we all need.

Or would you all like to go back to only a Tom Thumb on our little road and driving 10, 20 or 30 miles to get what we need instead of vacationing, or being at home, or our favorite restaurant.

I don't see what all the fuss is, but i support everyones rights to their opinions.

IMHO I just think most folks are going to LIKE IT!

 

[30A Skunkape]

Every day I drive down scenic commercial HWY 98. There is plenty of commercial land nurturing scenic scrub pines and brambles for sale. Perhaps those who lament development could pool their resources and buy it so no evil companies can ever pour a foundation. Now is a great time to buy

 

[Beach Runner]

Every day I drive down scenic commercial HWY 98. There is plenty of commercial land nurturing scenic scrub pines and brambles for sale. Perhaps those who lament development could pool their resources and buy it so no evil companies can ever pour a foundation. Now is a great time to buy

Sounds like an idea from one of Fortune 500's wealthiest Americans with whom we feel very close. He bought every piece of land available in the state over 500 acres and every piece of land adjacent to property that he already owned which was available.

Unfortunately, I am not even remotely close to being one of Fortune 500 wealthiest people and feel very lucky and thankful to God that we own the two homes that we have. If 98 in Santa Rosa Beach starts looking like Destin, I am afraid that this will negatively affect the ambiance of SoWal and further depress the values of our and everyone elses property values in SoWal.

 

[Teresa]

Sounds like an idea from one of Fortune 500's wealthiest Americans with whom we feel very close. He bought every piece of land available in the state over 500 acres and every piece of land adjacent to property that he already owned which was available.

Unfortunately, I am not even remotely close to being one of Fortune 500 wealthiest people and feel very lucky and thankful to God that we own the two homes that we have. If 98 in Santa Rosa Beach starts looking like Destin, I am afraid that this will negatively affect the ambiance of SoWal and further depress the values of our and everyone elses property values in SoWal.

1. skunky was being a tad bit buttheaded with his comment. I think.

2. Did your Fortune 500 friend buy up the land (where?) to preserve? tell him to get down here and buy up some more land.

3. some people feel the development is going to pump up our economy by providing jobs and attracting more residents to the area - and they may be right. but others feel the explosion of minimum wage jobs, in addition to poorly planned mass commercial development (welcome to walton county), will eventually result in depressed property values surrounding Hwy 98, effecting our entire community. I'm not at all sure which view is correct.

4. life is too short and I'm not going to grieve too much over the changing face of our beautiful town - we've watched it change for many years, and she still has much growth ahead. Instead I will remember to be grateful that a huge stretch of 98 is State Forest, on both sides, between Hwy 331 and Inlet Beach. we should be able to always keep a big slice of beautiful land for deer, bear, and the other wild things that live among us. their habitat is shrinking, but hopefully not entirely. I just enough people will get involved and help shape good development on 98, if at all possible. Too many seem to have the attitude that as long as it stays off 30A, its okay.

5. Seagrove Lover (above) may have a point. once all is said and done we just may like having ready access to more shopping, etc. however, I do feel we have gained all the conveniences we need, and more, in recent years. maybe more is better. maybe not. one thing is certain. we are going to find out.

 

[Beach Runner]

1. skunky was being a tad bit buttheaded with his comment. I think.

2. Did your Fortune 500 friend buy up the land (where?) to preserve? tell him to get down here and buy up some more land.

3. some people feel the development is going to pump up our economy by providing jobs and attracting more residents to the area - and they may be right. but others feel the explosion of minimum wage jobs, in addition to poorly planned mass commercial development (welcome to walton county), will eventually result in depressed property values surrounding Hwy 98, effecting our entire community. I'm not at all sure which view is correct.

4. life is too short and I'm not going to grieve too much over the changing face of our beautiful town - we've watched it change for many years, and she still has much growth ahead. Instead I will remember to be grateful that a huge stretch of 98 is State Forest, on both sides, between Hwy 331 and Inlet Beach. we should be able to always keep a big slice of beautiful land for deer, bear, and the other wild things that live among us. their habitat is shrinking, but hopefully not entirely. I just enough people will get involved and help shape good development on 98, if at all possible. Too many seem to have the attitude that as long as it stays off 30A, its okay.

5. Seagrove Lover (above) may have a point. once all is said and done we just may like having ready access to more shopping, etc. however, I do feel we have gained all the conveniences we need, and more, in recent years. maybe more is better. maybe not. one thing is certain. we are going to find out.

I will have to give this some thought and get back to you.
Fondly,
BR

 

[scooterbug44]

I got here before Destin Commons, Grand Boulevard, Pier Park, Watercolor Crossings, and most of the newer developments/segments of developments on 30-A.

Guess I just feel we've developed enough and that with the exception of some infrastructure improvements for full-time residents we've pretty much got everything we truly need.

If I wanted to be within 5 minutes of every chain store and big box in America I wouldn't have chosen to live here.