At last the DBIA has woken up or has the Chair's political ambitions ballooned? At a Council meeting the Chair of the DB1A, and rumoured candidate for the next elections Sue Dingsdale-Glover asked for a referral of the decision that Council is set to make - the expansion of the Walmart store.
Leaving aside the contradiction that Downtown is striving to be unique and a ''niche destination'' as well as trying to attract mainstream stores (a food store would be nice). Let's look at the bargain Walmart struck last time with the DBIA. A three year payout to the DBIA of $60,000 and a sign that acknowledges the presence of Downtown on the Walmart property. Both would appear to be failures in execution. The payout was not on time and the sign is too small and insignificant to have a bearing on traffic direction.
But the biggest failure this time around is to point out the shaky premise of the application. As all geeks know the justification for expansion is based on a ''Market study", This study is supposed to prove the need that the Town can handle additional commercial capacity and will not lead to the demise of existing businesses, this is an OP requirement. Last time around it was acknowledged, at an OMB hearing no less, that the Town's commercial capacity was maxed out, Now several years later, with little additional population growth, and a depressed business climate and presence, what has happened to create commercial capacity that can sustain the addition of an extra 60,000 square feet of commercial space? Where is the demonstrable need that can sustain another 60,000 sf?
This question has been ignored and obfuscated by the Town Planner (just tell me what to do and ! can dress it up) Glenn McGlashon. In a report to Council he sees the Market Study (written by one firm and peer reviewed by Walmart’s in house planner) as meeting the intent of the OP, l guess all the keen OP watchers have been worn down and can't a: bothered to point out the obvious this time. Pity.
Leaving aside the contradiction that Downtown is striving to be unique and a ''niche destination'' as well as trying to attract mainstream stores (a food store would be nice). Let's look at the bargain Walmart struck last time with the DBIA. A three year payout to the DBIA of $60,000 and a sign that acknowledges the presence of Downtown on the Walmart property. Both would appear to be failures in execution. The payout was not on time and the sign is too small and insignificant to have a bearing on traffic direction.
But the biggest failure this time around is to point out the shaky premise of the application. As all geeks know the justification for expansion is based on a ''Market study", This study is supposed to prove the need that the Town can handle additional commercial capacity and will not lead to the demise of existing businesses, this is an OP requirement. Last time around it was acknowledged, at an OMB hearing no less, that the Town's commercial capacity was maxed out, Now several years later, with little additional population growth, and a depressed business climate and presence, what has happened to create commercial capacity that can sustain the addition of an extra 60,000 square feet of commercial space? Where is the demonstrable need that can sustain another 60,000 sf?
This question has been ignored and obfuscated by the Town Planner (just tell me what to do and ! can dress it up) Glenn McGlashon. In a report to Council he sees the Market Study (written by one firm and peer reviewed by Walmart’s in house planner) as meeting the intent of the OP, l guess all the keen OP watchers have been worn down and can't a: bothered to point out the obvious this time. Pity.
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