Act 250 Approves Walmart For St. Albans

[Henry]

St. Albans Wal-Mart clears Act 250 hurdle

After a long fight, JLD Properties of St. Albans passed a last hurdle and has been granted an Act 250 permit to build a 160,000 square foot Wal-Mart store a few miles north of downtown St. Albans.

“This culminates a four-year permitting process and is the final permit necessary to begin construction on the Wal-Mart store, developer Jeff Davis said in a news release late Friday afternoon. “All other permits are in hand.”

Davis was out of the country and couldn’t be reached Friday for comment, but Brad Ferland, a consultant working with Davis’ company, said that if no one appeals the permit, “we could move ahead and start constructing.

“We view this as a very positive step forward for the store,” he said. “There’s a lot of support for a Wal-Mart in Franklin County. I think people are ready for it. If construction started right away,” he continued, “the store could be open within a year.”

The Northwest Citizens for Responsible Growth is one group that has opposed the store, arguing that it will take prime agricultural land out of production and create a blot on the landscape.

On its Web site, www.nwcrg.org, the group has made that position clear. “In pursuit of cheaper stuff,” its introduction to the Web site, says, “Vermonters need to be especially careful not to overload their winding roads and covered bridges, not to ruin their green rolling landscapes and not to empty out their small historic downtowns. More than a quarter of the state’s income comes from tourism, and nobody’s going to mail home a postcard of Wal-Mart.”

NWCRG spokeswoman Sue Prent said Friday evening that the group is aware that the Act 250 — Vermont’s land-use law — permit has been granted but hasn’t yet studied the decision.

“We won’t have any comment until we have a chance to read it,” she said.

The decision by the District 6 Environmental Commission can be appealed to the state’s Environmental Court.

[dearon]

St. Albans needs Walmart. Walmart is a great discount store and would serve many sourrounding towns.  Jeff Davis is to be commended for following through.
St. Albans and Vermont in general needs more "bargin places" to shop.  Downtown stores in my opinion are always pricey and cater only to the well to do.
Hopefully the opposing group will not appeal the act 250 decision; so the average citizen can have a place to shop again.
Traveling to Williston is not the answer, think of all the gas that is used and the carbon emissions as a result of this.  We need to be shopping closer to home, when possible.   
We need to start thinking of the average citizen and how they can survive here in Vermont.  Vermont is one of the most expensive places to live.

[Henry]

Haven't read it all, but the weekend edition of the St. Albans Messenger is pretty much all about Walmart - There is something in the headlines that says $500,000 to Downtown St. Albans.  I know they mentioned that as being a stipulation on Channel 3 last night, but didn't give the amount.

I think I will save that newspaper and hope those kooks don't try to appeal again.

[NorthFairfaxBoy]

Being I grew up in Fairfax/Franklin County, this is a long time coming.  I can remember as a kid going to Grants...Ames (Aims-iz), Ben Franklins...now there is nothing. 
I know my mom is looking foward to shopping there.

[Henry]

Details of the Permit Approval that appear in the St. Albans Messenger's Weekend Edition can be found at:

http://www.samessenger.com/NewsView.asp?ID=2869

[mkr]

This is a big win for St. Albans and Fairfax.  With the gas prices climbing, this is great.  I don't think St. Albans is going to be disappointed with this decision.  Instead of towns north of St. Albans and Canadian travelers driving right by St. Albans and going to Williston, they are going to stop and shop.  Shoppers will stop at other stores since they are in the area and business should increase for local merchants.  I know I will be happy to avoid the Williston area on the weekends !

[mirjo]

Although I totally agree that St. Albans definately needs a discount department store for many reasons, I don't agree with what Wal-Mart represents. I can't say that I know all of the details of the latest transaction, but the little I do know of the story, it seemed that WM wanted to build a big "Supercenter" at one point (don't know if this is still true) and this is an area that already has two large supermarkets already! I have not followed this argument closely, but I gathered that WM wanted its way and wasn't interested in trying to work with any ideas outside of its own. When Ames came in, all of their stores went into already existing structures with some renovations. Every discount chain that has come along, when one closed, moved into the existing structure. I think the irritation with this company is that it has to stand out, build new & huge. I have to agree that this is making Vt look less like Vt and more like a giant billboard, but we do need a store here.

It's just sad that all other discount department stores (except Kmart, Target) are out of business, I'm guessing largely due to WM bullying its way in to everywhere. It's the only place to shop for affordable "stuff" no matter where you go. Once upon a time, there were stores of the same calibur all over the country...Ames, Woolworth, Zayre, Bradley's, Rich's, Harry's, Gaines...etc., but no more. Is it really a victory that WM has a monopoly in Vt with a soon to be 5th store? Has anyone questioned why we don't have a Target?

[NorthFairfaxBoy]

In regards to the comment about "sending postcards from Wal-Mart".  What do tourists look for when traveling?  Something "familiar"!  Wal-Mart is known world wide as a place to get the essentials.  Whether it be a tube of tooth paste or a garden shovel.  I think all the "anti' groups should leave it up to the locals to decide.  If people don't shop there, it will close.  It is as simple as that. 
I was in Nashville, Tennessee last summer.  Was speaking with a local, the subject of Wal-Marts came up.  The person counted and said they had 3 or 4 wihtin 20 minutes of their home!  I told them that was less than the number in the whole state of Vermont.  Their reply was somewhat comical.  "Wow!  And they say Southerners" are backwoods!  To which I replied, no its everyone has the NIMBY mind set.   
Of which next time driving south, look at the HUGE homes on the hill side in Williston.  Now what looks worse, huge "McMansions" of a few wind towers?

[Henry]

The City of St. Albans will actively pursue further negotiations with the developer of a proposed Wal-Mart store and perhaps seek more money for mitigation than is already required by an Act 250 decision.

I have no words that I want to write here on this, but check out the full article in tonight's St. Albans Messenger:

http://www.samessenger.com/NewsView.asp?ID=2904

[Loctavious]

This could very quickly go from a suttle toned thread to not-so-pretty one.  I think what the one dissenter has tried to point out and coudl do so in a regimented and clear cut fashion if they wished, is that BIGGER is not always better. ( let's keep that saying to the subject at hand OK - and not take it to other subjects lol)

Leave it up to the locals eh?  If that logic were to be accepted as the new way of doign business, this country would see some disstressing change real quick.  WHY?  Because locals, tend to ONLY see the issues affecting them directly.  It takes GIANT steps back and a larger more MACRO understanding of the issues to make decisions that will have LONG-LASTING implications on not only the local ecnomies, but also the Local Reputations of any town, city, county or state.  that's why we have committees f orthat very reason. 
One only look to the Car Capital of the US to realize if you put all your eggs in one basket - sooner or later you'll run into trouble.  Or look at Atlanta to realize too much growth, too quickly, with not enough thought into the effects on the local people, local environment, local social structure could pose probelms that will take longer to resolve then it took to create all that growth. 

Shall we look at history and see, what technology has yielded?  Think Einstein was proud of helping create the most deadly weapon in the scope of human history?  Think he didn't take that guilt to his grave?

For every good thing humans have developed, there's the 'bad apples' or lack of foresight that finds the negative aspect and exploits it.

      Agreed, the jobs created, selection and opportunity at discount and cheaper valued products, and immediate ecnomic implications are a good thing for St Albans.  But not even i will venture a guess at what this holds in store for it in the long run.   I pray that OUR locals, the usually conservative and intent on keeping Vermont, VERMONT folk they've been will prevail in whatever comes our way.


-----Just my 'uneducated' 2-cent rant though.

[mirjo]

Eloquently put, Loctavious ...it's certainly a prickly pear. It seems like the mighty WM has a brilliant time-honored strategy...divide and conquer. There is a definate need for what they have, to a degree, but after a 10 year battle with the lines clearly drawn they have effectively won what they wanted--people are simply fed up with having to travel out of the area to get the stuff they need and fed up with those who oppose this project for such "stupid" reasons, because now more than ever, it is a necessity. In the beginning perhaps something else could have been done that could have been more beneficial to both sides instead of engaging in a battle with the giant. Appeals will only drag it out longer. If they do win, it will incite rage in everyone who is anxiously awaiting the store to open. Just for the record, if anyone thinks that Walmart is going to bring in somethng wonderful in the way of jobs, read "Nickel and Dimed on (not) Getting by in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich. It's a real eye-opener on how employees are actually treated & what it's like to live on the low wages paid by certain companies.