A report in yesterday’s Citxen-Times newspaper says that Wal-Mart was “dealt a serious blow” by the Asheville, NC Board of Adjustment. The Board voted to deny a request by prolific Wal-Mart developer JDN of Atlanta, GA, to obtain an exception to a city zoning requirement that all property along the Swannanoa River have a 50 foot vegetation setback. The developer complained that he needed the exception to make way for 2 new bridges over the river into the proposed 355,929 s.f. shopping mall. JDN is expected to either appeal the Board’s ruling to the Buncombe County Superior Court, or reconfigure their site plan. The Board rejection of the Wal-Mart supercenter played well in front of the crowd of more than 125 people. The Wal-Mart was described by the newspaper as “one of the most hotly debated development projects considered by city government in recent years,” and the Board hearing took four hours to complete.
For the name of contact people in Asheville, NC who are fighting Wal-Mart contact [email protected]. How absurd is it for any developer to pick a parcel of land to develop as a shopping center that requires not only one bridge to get there — but two? But the common sense rejection by the Board of Adjustment may be one gap even Wal-Mart can’t bridge.