The Board of Supervisors in Fairfax is considering enacting a LONG OVERDUE CHANGE (in MY not so humble opinion) tomorrow. It involves amending the county zoning ordinance to allow for regulation of BIG-BOX Stores in our communities. According to the Washington Post, the proposed bill would:
...require any retailer of 80,000 square feet or more -- the typical Target is about 120,000 square feet -- to seek the county's permission before building. Supervisors would be free to reject a store deemed too large for its neighborhood or the surrounding road network. They would also be in a position to demand, in exchange for approval, less sprawling designs, multistory buildings, parking garages and pedestrian and transit access.
As you might expect, the corporations and developers aren't to pleased with the amendment:
The proposal has generated concern among retailers, shopping center owners and commercial developers who say strong constraints could limit a business's ability to redevelop property and attract new, successful tenants.
Talk about a load of crap! But what else would you expect from business interests that are beholden to nothing but almighty dollar. So if you'd like to counter the opinions of the naysayers above, please consider attending the hearing TOMORROW to show your support for the proposed amendment:
WHAT: LARGE RETAIL SALES ESTABLISHMENTS - PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENTWHEN: MONDAY, MAY 21 4:00 PM
WHERE: Fairfax County Government Center
12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax
Board Auditorium - 1st Floor
For more info on the amendment you can go here.
And for a laugh check out Jib Jab's BIG BOX Mart parody :)
I don't think we can simply outlaw them. That wouldn't be very American. The solution is to correct trade imbalances and protect workers rights. Wal-Mart does so well because workers aren't protected and trade laws work in their favor.
Communities should be able to, through zoning laws, control the size and look of establishments in the community. For example, a historical site would most likely not want to have a box store next to it. Quaint little communities - that survive because they are "quaint" not despite of it - would be harmed if an ugly building scarred its landscape.
Wal-Mart should be welcome to do business - they just need to build in a way that doesn't harm or detract from the community.
Smart Growth's objective is to prevent urban sprawl. That should be one of many elements in zoning laws, and certainly not the only element.
It would have been nice if Linda Smyth had accepted the invitation so I could have asked her the same questions.
That said, the town is being sued, and accused of being anti-growth. Funny, we want smart growth where money will stay in the community. Funny, we want growth that will actually add something interesting to our town, not pollution, mass production, and huge dirty trucks on our roads.
Check out http://www.blacksbur.... There is a group that has formed--Blacksburg United for Responsible Growth. There's also a google community for this.
Blacksburg and Fairfax are similar in terms of retail establishments--this probably should be a heads up to what could/will happen and how to fight it, if you are so inclined.