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100 °F Forecast | Road Cams Tuesday, August 10, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 9, 2004 Recent Wal-Mart activity may provide clue to Medford’s future By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Opponents of Wal-Mart’s proposed giant stores in Medford and Central Point hope two failed appeals in Hood River and Hillsboro are a sign of things to come. "All of us feel that Wal-Mart’s legal cases have been losing consistently at LUBA (Land Use Board of Appeals) and should be a good indication of what’s going to happen at Medford and Central Point," said Rich Rohde of Oregon Action. Becca Croft, a spokesperson for Central Point First, said, "The Hood River case is very similar to ours." Croft and Rohde represent two groups opposed to Wal-Mart’s plans for a 207,000-square-foot Supercenter in Central Point and in Medford. LUBA has appeals for both proposed stores under review, along with another store in Oregon City. Decisions on the appeals are expected later this year. Advertisement Wal-Mart lost its appeal to LUBA recently over a proposal for a Hood River supercenter, upholding the Hood River County commissioners’ denial of the project. LUBA also upheld the city of Hillsboro’s rejection of a proposed Wal-Mart. However, Wal-Mart spokesman Eric Berger points out that his company got the green light from the state Court of Appeals for a store in Lebanon earlier this year. In this case, the court supported an earlier LUBA decision that affirmed the city of Lebanon’s approval of the project. Both Croft and Rohde point out that Wal-Mart has been unsuccessful so far in trying to overturn a decision of a city council or local government. For Hood River, Croft said, "LUBA upheld the county’s ability to interpret its own laws." But Berger said, "We don’t really view any of that as having any effect on Medford or Central Point." Although the Central Point City Council denied Wal-Mart’s proposal, the Planning Commission supported it, Berger noted. And in Medford, the City Council rejected the plans, but the Site Plan and Architectural Commission approved them. Berger said Wal-Mart believes each case will be reviewed on its own merits and doesn’t see any sort of precedent being set by the Hillsboro or Hood River cases. Berger said the size of the stores has been one of the biggest reasons why some people object. But he said many people are surprised to see elevations that depict an attractively designed building. "We’re not just talking about blue and gray boxes," he said. Wal-Mart’s decision to build large stores has been driven by the needs of its customers, Berger said. The stores offer everything under one roof, from grocery shopping to a garden center, he said. For families with children, it’s easier to take them out of car seats one time rather than running from store to store. The bigger stores also offer wider aisles, making it easier to maneuver and find things, he said. "It’s how we can best serve our customers," Berger said. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities