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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 2, 2006 Permits delay Wal-Mart opening By SANNE SPECHT Mail Tribune EAGLE POINT — Delays in acquiring necessary state and federal wetland permits will push back the opening of a new Wal-Mart Supercenter by several months. The city approved the 184,719-square-foot Wal-Mart in a 25-acre business park between Highway 62 and Hannon Road in June 2005 after negotiating with the company for more than a year. Approximately four acres of the business park is designated as wetland. Filling the "low-quality wetland" meant obtaining a series of permits from the Oregon Department of State Lands and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, says Sean Mallon, engineer and project manager for PacLand, the engineering firm overseeing the business park project for the developer. "If your development is associated with filling in a wetland, generally you will have to come up with a plan to enhance or create or mitigate another area," said Mallon. To replace, or mitigate, the filled wetland, PacLand proposed the enhancement, creation and restoration of almost 10 acres of quality wetland near Newland and Truax roads. The two regulatory agencies accepted the plan, he said. Advertisement "State lands permitting is finished," Mallon said. "And the fully executed document is on the way from the Army Corps, we understand." The complicated permitting process has pushed back the originally scheduled 2006 opening to spring of 2007, says City Planner Bunny Lincoln. The project includes three zoning areas and requires master site plan approval, a conditional-use permit and a sign variance. Lincoln said the permit issues were related only to development of the park, not construction of the Wal-Mart Supercenter. The city has worked to install services and storm drains at the Hannon Road site. City Administrator Dave Hussell says the city is finishing its work and is nearly ready for construction to begin. "We had some minor issues dealing with drainage water that runs through that site," said Hussell. "From a processing standpoint, we’re just about ready to start building." One of the first things that will be done is a realignment of Hannon Road, says Hussell. Wal-Mart spokeswoman Jennifer Holder says once the road is realigned and construction can begin, the building should go quickly. "It should only take us seven months to have the store up," Holder said. Wal-Mart representatives have said the store will employ 400 people with more than 70 percent of the jobs being full-time positions. Reach reporter Sanne Specht at 776-4497 or e-mail Permits delay Wal-Mart opening ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Absinthe Supply Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Send Flowers California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Hammocks Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada King of Spirits Email Security Advertisement s Advertisement