About two years ago, my city allowed a big box to build on a lot near a shopping center, with the requirement that any large retailer building on the next lot would have to be attached. (Through a deed restriction) Sooooo....the time came three months ago when a developer bought the land to build a new car lot. Aside from the fact that we were skeptical that a car lot would retain an acceptable character throughout the next thirty years, they only proposed freestanding buildings when they applied for their conditional use permit. We planners told them "no go"...doesn't fit into the plan that we had worked on oh so long ago. But here's the kicker. The Plan Commission voted to approve the ugly car lot as a freestanding building.... BECAUSE THE OWNER IS SUCH A NICE GUY, HE MEANS WELL. I don't care if he's Mother Theresa...that's not the point. I'm so frustrated. Why do we bother sometimes?
-
Ongoing coronavirus / COVID-19 discussion: how is the pandemic affecting your community, workplace, and wellness? 🦠
Working from home? So are we. Come join us! Cyburbia is a friendly big tent, where we share our experiences and thoughts about urban planning practice, planning adjacent topics, and whatever else comes to mind. No ads, no spam, no social distancing.
Why bother?
- Thread starter Espresso
- Start date
The Box Bites
Member
- Messages
- 2
- Points
- 0
Welcome to the club. You often have to take comfort and satisfaction in the little victories you achieve everyday through the advice and assistance you give everyone who comes in to the counter. When it comes to your failures to prevail in the big-box/strip mall wars, just shrug it off as a harsh reality of the times. After all, even if you win in conditioning one of those things, its basic nature is still that of a big box and they are what they are, regardless of how they are prettied up. Look forward to the day (probably not too far in the future) when it is sitting empty and abandoned and you can do a cool redevelopment plan for the site.
Planzilla
Cyburbian
- Messages
- 45
- Points
- 2
The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and the paving contractors are all nice guys.
Not much to do except to try to persuade your commission to look at projects, not people. Though if Mother Theresa does show up with a plan to build a Walmart, you may as well give in right away.
Not much to do except to try to persuade your commission to look at projects, not people. Though if Mother Theresa does show up with a plan to build a Walmart, you may as well give in right away.