Steve Bloom/The Olympian
Kathy and Tim Podowicz have collected pages of signatures from neighbors concerned about plans for a proposed Wal-Mart store in this undeveloped site off Yelm Highway. The Podowiczes say they're concerned about increased traffic and safety issues if the store is built as part of a mixed retail and housing development.

Wal-Mart store too big for village center, neighbors say

Company calls second Lacey site 'community' store

LIONA TANNESEN THE OLYMPIAN

LACEY -- The master plan for Summerwalk village center -- now a field -- would need to be changed to allow Wal-Mart to start construction on Yelm Highway.

The issue will fall in the lap of the Lacey City Council at Thursday's meeting.

"It's a regional commercial store, and they're trying to sneak it into a community commercial (zone)," said neighbor Kathy Podowicz, spokeswoman for the Capitol City Golf Course Estates Homeowners Association.

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Amy Hill said the Yelm Highway Wal-Mart would be a community store, and the Wal-Mart under construction in Hawks Prairie would be a regional store. The regional store is expected to draw from a larger area.

Hearings examiner James Driscoll recommended approval of the changes to the master plan, as well as approval of the site's preliminary plat and site plan review.

The City Council makes the final decision.

Amend master plan

The current Summerwalk master plan calls for a village center, which is designed to be a pedestrian-friendly mix of businesses, apartments, homes, schools and parks with a clear community center.

The recommended changes would permit a Wal-Mart and three smaller businesses rather than 11 small businesses.

Wal-Mart would build a 149,100-square-foot store and three other stores with a total of about 23,000 square feet. The Wal-Mart later would be expanded by 76,350 square feet.

The amended plan would keep the mix of residential, business, park and school space, but reconfigure the village center.

The hearings examiner's recommendation included 95 items.

"There is a significant amount of mitigation," said Community Development Director Jerry Litt.

Driscoll's recommendation followed a three-hour hearing attended by about 60 people last month.

Podowicz and others explained their concerns.

Podowicz also presented petitions signed by more than 150 neighbors who wanted stoplights to ease congestion and an 8-foot cinderblock wall to act as a buffer between the neighborhood and the store.

The Capitol City neighborhood is across Yelm Highway from Wal-Mart.

Neighbors have a hard time making a left turn onto Yelm Highway now.

"We don't expect no growth," Podowicz said. "But this is a bit much."

The hearings examiner's recommendations did not address the neighborhood's concerns, Podowicz said.

"We don't feel like we're being heard," Podowicz said. "It's very frustrating."

Lacey City Councilwoman Nancy Peterson said she watched the tape of the public hearing and has begun looking into the issues.

Peterson said she has some concerns.

The changes allow too much commercial space and too much parking, Peterson said.

"It doesn't meet, in my mind, the intent of the village center," Peterson said.

The village center was meant to be a place where neighbors could pick up dry cleaning or stop by the store on the way home.

Peterson said she will do more reading and ask more questions before Thursday's meeting.

City Councilwoman Ann Burgman said she is weighing the pros and cons.

"It's larger than we had anticipated something to be out there," said Burgman, who is a business owner. "On the other hand, if the owner of the property cannot do this, it may be a long time before anything happens here."

City Councilman John Darby had read the examiner's recommendation and letters from neighbors.

"In looking at the hearings examiner's recommendation and in looking at the prior zoning, I don't see where there's room to disapprove the request for the rezone," said Darby, who works for the Olympia Chamber of Commerce.

Neighbors' concerns about traffic should be separated from the decisions about the Summerwalk master plan and the Wal-Mart, Darby said.

The original master plan would have brought in more traffic, according to the hearings examiner's comments.

Also, the village center concept is flawed because it's difficult to bring in the retail before the residential, and it's difficult to bring in the residential before the retail, Darby said.

"I've yet to see in Washington where a village center has worked," Darby said. "Again, I've not suggested it's not out there. I just haven't seen it."

Liona Tannesen covers Lacey and courts for The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-754-5427 or ltannese@olympia.gannett. com.

Meeting

The Lacey City Council will discuss changes to the Summerwalk master plan and the first steps toward allowing a Wal-Mart to locate on Yelm Highway.

The City Council meeting is at 7 p.m. Thursday at Lacey City Hall, 420 College St. S.E.

The public is welcome to attend but cannot comment because state law prohibits a second public hearing, Community Development Director Jerry Litt said.

For more local news go to the South Sound section.

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