The decision to hold a Wal-Mart hearing in the Milford, Ohio Firefighers hall was symbolic. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, as many as 375 residents showed up to oppose the 203,000 s.f. supercenter, and they were burning with anger. Residents testified against the location, the traffic congestion, and the impact on surrounding property value. The city’s Planning Commission did not waffle on the issue. They voted unanimously against rezoning land for Wal-Mart on 37 acres of Route 28. “That area is a gateway to Milford, and as a gateway, it should reflect the character of Milford, a small bedroom community,” Tracey Meade, vice chair of the commission, was quoted by the Enquirer. “A ‘big box’ development does not reflect that and makes it look like any other exit off the freeway.” There is an existing mobile home park in the area now, and residents would have to move if the Wal-Mart was approved. One 84-year old resident of the mobile park told the Enquirer, “I hope the big shots down there in Milford realize we don’t need a Wal-Mart here.”
This “ruin the gateway” issue is a common theme in many Wal-Mart zoning cases. No developer has the right to a rezoning. If the land use does not fit the land classification, it can be denied without major fears of litigation. If a community has designated land to serve as a low-intensity, visually-welcoming entrance into town, no big box has the right to change that. Local officials, as they did in Milford, need to stand by their Comprehensive Plan and zoning code as the basis for a denial. For contacts in Milford, contact [email protected].
