Planning Commission Reccomends No on Wal-Mart Re-Zone

Sep 11, 2008 by Jeff Robinson

(KCPW News) Last night, the Salt Lake City Planning Commission unanimously recommended that the city deny Wal-Mart's petition to re-zone the property at its proposed store on Parleys Way. The re-zone would allow them to build a new store on the site of the existing K-Mart, rather than move into the current building. Commissioner Tim Chambless says Wal-Mart had a good proposal, but it's wrong for the area, especially regarding traffic.

"When you have a considerable amount of traffic confined to two ingresses and egresses, what you have is an accident ready to happen. It's almost a personal injury attorney's delight," he said. "That concerned me, and I think the vast majority of the people who spoke, and many did last night, in one way or another in their testimony raised the question of the problems of traffic."

Chambless said while the existing building does need a makeover, this is not the best way to go about it.

Karianne Fallow, a public affairs manager for Wal-Mart, cited studies that show Parleys Way could easily handle the traffic. She added that customers would be encouraged to use that entrance, rather than the less safe one on Foothill.

"We were going to put a right turn only out of our parking lot onto Foothill so that left turns can no longer be made, and then we were going to encourage the bulk of our traffic to use the Parley's entrance," said Fallow.

Fallow said without the re-zone, Wal-Mart will only be able to make limited upgrades to the current property. The final decision rests with the Salt Lake City Council.

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