Congratulations to the residents of the Village of Glen Carbon. You made your opinions known and your voices heard. And as a result, WalMart has WITHDRAWN their proposal to turn our store into a SuperCenter.
The Village of Glen Carbon has received a letter from the WalMart Corporation stating their intention to withdraw the proposed SuperCenter plan. The Village government will now make the accompanying parking lot and sign variances null and void. Once that is official, the GlenEd Citizens will withdraw the lawsuit against the Village with pleasure.
The Mayor insists, of course, that our community action and petition of 1000+ signatures and lawsuit had NOTHING to do with the decision. We obviously disagree. While WalMart has been taking SuperCenters off the table across the nation, one can hardly believe that the intense controversy surrounding our particular store had "nothing" to do with the decision.
What is a shame is that our community action had nothing to do with the Village Board decision. I hope we all remember that in early 2009 when we elect a new Mayor and replace several members of the Village Board.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Comprehensive Plan...
or lack thereof. The allustrious Planning and Zoning Commission, that's right, the same folks who brought you the FAILED WalMart SuperCenter proposal, have all but approved the 2007 Comprehensive Plan.
They claim they have done "all they can" to encourage resident participation in this vital process. Did you get your two sentence notice on your water bill earlier this year? Oh, you saw that but didn't know what it was about? You may safely assume that the response from Mr. Hagerty, Chairman of P&Z is "so what." That's about all he had to say about the numerous deficincies in the proposed plan at the hearing December 4th. Impressive.
We will be presenting issues regarding this proposal in the near future. In the meantime, according to the company preparing the plan, there are six copies available at the Village for residents to view. Now, of course the Village hasn't informed you of this, but don't forget they're doing all they can to keep you informed.
If going in to the Village Hall to view the proposed plan is inconvenient, please ask Will Shashack to make the proposal available online. His Village phone is 288-2613, email wshashack@glen-carbon.il.us. This request has been made repeatedly by members of our organization and completely ignored.
If you don't like what you hear and see, you must speak up. The commission plans to approve this plan at their next meeting. Tuesday December 18, 7:00 pm at the Village Hall. Please contact Will Shashack with any issues you wish to see addressed.
They claim they have done "all they can" to encourage resident participation in this vital process. Did you get your two sentence notice on your water bill earlier this year? Oh, you saw that but didn't know what it was about? You may safely assume that the response from Mr. Hagerty, Chairman of P&Z is "so what." That's about all he had to say about the numerous deficincies in the proposed plan at the hearing December 4th. Impressive.
We will be presenting issues regarding this proposal in the near future. In the meantime, according to the company preparing the plan, there are six copies available at the Village for residents to view. Now, of course the Village hasn't informed you of this, but don't forget they're doing all they can to keep you informed.
If going in to the Village Hall to view the proposed plan is inconvenient, please ask Will Shashack to make the proposal available online. His Village phone is 288-2613, email wshashack@glen-carbon.il.us. This request has been made repeatedly by members of our organization and completely ignored.
If you don't like what you hear and see, you must speak up. The commission plans to approve this plan at their next meeting. Tuesday December 18, 7:00 pm at the Village Hall. Please contact Will Shashack with any issues you wish to see addressed.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Lawsuit Filed
August 28, 2007
Current Action: Sue the Village of Glen Carbon
It is official; the GlenEd Citizens for Fair Growth have filed suit against the Village of Glen Carbon on behalf of five named plaintiffs. The Village Board of Glen Carbon broke their own laws when they approved the variance request made by THF Realty on behalf of WalMart’s interests. Our plaintiffs are seeking a judicial review of this decision, which will be found to be in conflict with the Ordinances and procedures dictated by the Village of Glen Carbon.
Throughout this process, our Village Trustees almost unanimously indicated their fear of a lawsuit from THF Realty if the variance was not granted. However, they are now going to be answering to OUR attorney. They have failed in their fulfilling their responsibilities to the citizens of this Village and its visitors.
Had the Village Trustees, Mayor and Village Attorney done their jobs and followed the laws of our Village, this lawsuit would not be necessary.
Current Action: Sue the Village of Glen Carbon
It is official; the GlenEd Citizens for Fair Growth have filed suit against the Village of Glen Carbon on behalf of five named plaintiffs. The Village Board of Glen Carbon broke their own laws when they approved the variance request made by THF Realty on behalf of WalMart’s interests. Our plaintiffs are seeking a judicial review of this decision, which will be found to be in conflict with the Ordinances and procedures dictated by the Village of Glen Carbon.
Throughout this process, our Village Trustees almost unanimously indicated their fear of a lawsuit from THF Realty if the variance was not granted. However, they are now going to be answering to OUR attorney. They have failed in their fulfilling their responsibilities to the citizens of this Village and its visitors.
Had the Village Trustees, Mayor and Village Attorney done their jobs and followed the laws of our Village, this lawsuit would not be necessary.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Lawsuit filed, press conference tonight.
We urge all our supporters to please join the GlenEd Citizens for Fair Growth at the Glen Carbon Village Hall this evening, Tuesday August 28th. We will be holding a press conference at 6:30 pm regarding the lawsuit filed today against the Village Trustees and Mayor.
The following is a copy of the press release issued this morning:
Glen Carbon, IL -- Today in the Circuit Court of Madison County, several citizens of Glen Carbon filed suit to stop the proposed expansion of Wal-Mart in Glen Carbon. The lawsuit asks the court to nullify the controversial vote to approve several variances related to the potential Wal-Mart expansion at the Cottonwood Mall on Route 159 in Glen Carbon.
In June, over the objection of more than one hundred residents that packed the Village Board meeting chambers as well as the nearly one thousand residents that signed petitions against the expansion, the Village Board illegally voted to approve the site plan and its attached variance requests. Today, that action has been challenged.
“Residents of Glen Carbon are not going to sit idly by while the laws that govern our community are tossed aside because our elected officials place a higher priority on tax revenue and corporate interests than the well-being of their constituents,” said Karen Bracki O’Koniewski, Spokeswoman for the GlenEd Citizens For Fair Growth, the community group leading the charge against the expansion. “Elected officials in Glen Carbon should first consider the best interests of our residents and balance that against the corporation’s request. The THF/WalMart request was invalid at best and the fact it was granted is illegal, irresponsible and unethical.”
The lawsuit states that the variances granted to THF Realty on behalf of Wal-Mart were done so illegally, as THF failed to state a hardship as to why they should be exempt from following existing requirements. In order to have a variance granted, an applicant must file a variance request that states what hardship it will suffer if the variance is not granted. The claimed hardship must meet six requirements in order for a variance to considered, let alone approved. In addition, hardship cannot be of the applicant’s own making.
Wal-Mart, the largest retailer in the world today, would certainly have a hard time convincing anyone that it suffers any hardship. Perhaps that is the reason that THF Realty left this section of the application blank. As such, there is no hardship facing THF/WalMart. Furthermore, there can be absolutely no subsequent finding by Glen Carbon officials that such hardship has been established. Thus a variance can NOT be granted legally by the Village of Glen Carbon.
“I spoke at the Village Board meeting where this application was improperly considered and illegally granted, and I told them then and there that they could not legally grant it based on several omissions in the application,” said Penni Livingston, attorney for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed today. “I enlarged the application to a poster-board sized exhibit, showing the Board and the rest of the Village that THF/Wal-Mart failed to state a hardship,” related Livingston. “They should have played by the rules during this process. Instead they decided that catering to Wal-Mart was more important than honoring the commitment they made to the citizens of Glen Carbon who trusted them to fairly exercise their public duties.”
Glen Carbon citizens cleaned house in the 2005 election because of just such decisions. Many residents are disappointed in the recent actions of their elected officials. Members of the GlenEd Citizens for Fair Growth see this lawsuit as a necessary message to send to the current administration. “Putting the desires of Corporate America above the safety and well-being of the Village of Glen Carbon is unacceptable.”states O’Koniewski
Karen Bracki O’Koniewki, Attorney Penni Livingston, and other concerned citizens will make statements regarding this lawsuit outside of the Glen Carbon Village Hall tonight at 6:30 p.m. Immediately following , all will attend the Glen Carbon Village Board meeting and formally present the Mayor and Trustees with the lawsuit. The press are invited to attend, at which time copies of the lawsuit will be distributed.
The following is a copy of the press release issued this morning:
Glen Carbon, IL -- Today in the Circuit Court of Madison County, several citizens of Glen Carbon filed suit to stop the proposed expansion of Wal-Mart in Glen Carbon. The lawsuit asks the court to nullify the controversial vote to approve several variances related to the potential Wal-Mart expansion at the Cottonwood Mall on Route 159 in Glen Carbon.
In June, over the objection of more than one hundred residents that packed the Village Board meeting chambers as well as the nearly one thousand residents that signed petitions against the expansion, the Village Board illegally voted to approve the site plan and its attached variance requests. Today, that action has been challenged.
“Residents of Glen Carbon are not going to sit idly by while the laws that govern our community are tossed aside because our elected officials place a higher priority on tax revenue and corporate interests than the well-being of their constituents,” said Karen Bracki O’Koniewski, Spokeswoman for the GlenEd Citizens For Fair Growth, the community group leading the charge against the expansion. “Elected officials in Glen Carbon should first consider the best interests of our residents and balance that against the corporation’s request. The THF/WalMart request was invalid at best and the fact it was granted is illegal, irresponsible and unethical.”
The lawsuit states that the variances granted to THF Realty on behalf of Wal-Mart were done so illegally, as THF failed to state a hardship as to why they should be exempt from following existing requirements. In order to have a variance granted, an applicant must file a variance request that states what hardship it will suffer if the variance is not granted. The claimed hardship must meet six requirements in order for a variance to considered, let alone approved. In addition, hardship cannot be of the applicant’s own making.
Wal-Mart, the largest retailer in the world today, would certainly have a hard time convincing anyone that it suffers any hardship. Perhaps that is the reason that THF Realty left this section of the application blank. As such, there is no hardship facing THF/WalMart. Furthermore, there can be absolutely no subsequent finding by Glen Carbon officials that such hardship has been established. Thus a variance can NOT be granted legally by the Village of Glen Carbon.
“I spoke at the Village Board meeting where this application was improperly considered and illegally granted, and I told them then and there that they could not legally grant it based on several omissions in the application,” said Penni Livingston, attorney for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed today. “I enlarged the application to a poster-board sized exhibit, showing the Board and the rest of the Village that THF/Wal-Mart failed to state a hardship,” related Livingston. “They should have played by the rules during this process. Instead they decided that catering to Wal-Mart was more important than honoring the commitment they made to the citizens of Glen Carbon who trusted them to fairly exercise their public duties.”
Glen Carbon citizens cleaned house in the 2005 election because of just such decisions. Many residents are disappointed in the recent actions of their elected officials. Members of the GlenEd Citizens for Fair Growth see this lawsuit as a necessary message to send to the current administration. “Putting the desires of Corporate America above the safety and well-being of the Village of Glen Carbon is unacceptable.”states O’Koniewski
Karen Bracki O’Koniewki, Attorney Penni Livingston, and other concerned citizens will make statements regarding this lawsuit outside of the Glen Carbon Village Hall tonight at 6:30 p.m. Immediately following , all will attend the Glen Carbon Village Board meeting and formally present the Mayor and Trustees with the lawsuit. The press are invited to attend, at which time copies of the lawsuit will be distributed.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
June 6, 2007
Update from GlenEd Citizens for Fair Growth.
You may have noticed it has been quite a while since we've updated everyone on the process. The reason for this delay is simple: WalMart and THF Realty have repeatedly REMOVED their petition from the Village Board Meeting agenda. Why? Perhaps they realize how weak their position has become. Perhaps they realize the fact that they don't have an actual hardship to claim (required for a variance in Glen Carbon) might actually keep them from taking advantage of our village.
Apparently WalMart and THF feel ready to take on our Village Board and the citizens of this town. We say, it's about time. The Village Attorney has assured us that on TUESDAY JUNE 12 AT 7:00 pm, this issue WILL be addressed. We need you to come as well and make your voice heard. The more citizens who show their strong concern for this issue, the more our Board will listen!
You may have noticed it has been quite a while since we've updated everyone on the process. The reason for this delay is simple: WalMart and THF Realty have repeatedly REMOVED their petition from the Village Board Meeting agenda. Why? Perhaps they realize how weak their position has become. Perhaps they realize the fact that they don't have an actual hardship to claim (required for a variance in Glen Carbon) might actually keep them from taking advantage of our village.
Apparently WalMart and THF feel ready to take on our Village Board and the citizens of this town. We say, it's about time. The Village Attorney has assured us that on TUESDAY JUNE 12 AT 7:00 pm, this issue WILL be addressed. We need you to come as well and make your voice heard. The more citizens who show their strong concern for this issue, the more our Board will listen!
Rally before the Village Board Meeting!
On Tuesday June 12 at 5:00 pm we will be hosting a Lookout For Glen Carbon, Cookout for Glen Carbon.
Please join us at Miner Park in Glen Carbon (behind the library on Main Street) in Pavillion 1. We will have free hot dogs, chips and soft drinks for everyone; plus buttons and t-shirts.
We will still be collecting signatures from anyone who hasn't had a chance to join the list yet. We will then head over to the Village Board meeting en masse and show THF and WalMart who has the power in this town, the people!
Please join us at Miner Park in Glen Carbon (behind the library on Main Street) in Pavillion 1. We will have free hot dogs, chips and soft drinks for everyone; plus buttons and t-shirts.
We will still be collecting signatures from anyone who hasn't had a chance to join the list yet. We will then head over to the Village Board meeting en masse and show THF and WalMart who has the power in this town, the people!
Response to Flyer Distribution
The recent flyer distributed in Glen Carbon was not officially sponsored by the GlenEd Citizens for Fair Growth. Please note the flyer indicates "For more information, visit GlenEdCitizens.blogspot.com"
We appreciate the flyer's message and encourage everyone to attend the Village Board meeting on Tuesday, June 12 at 7:00 pm. We also encourage anyone who would like more information on the issue to browse the topics on our website.
If you feel this expansion is not appropriate for our community, sign your name to our petition at www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopthesupercenter/
We appreciate the flyer's message and encourage everyone to attend the Village Board meeting on Tuesday, June 12 at 7:00 pm. We also encourage anyone who would like more information on the issue to browse the topics on our website.
If you feel this expansion is not appropriate for our community, sign your name to our petition at www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopthesupercenter/
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Update April 4, 2007
We must be getting to them! The Village has decided to commission a third and independent analysis of the parking and traffic issues at Cottonwood Mall. This is not the FULL IMPACT TRAFFIC STUDY we would like to see, but it's a step in the right direction.
The Wal-Mart expansion proposal has been taken off the agenda for the April 10th Village Board meeting. This is a good sign and indicates that the Trustees and Mayor are taking the concerns of their residents very seriously. Each Trustee has been asked to review a large packet of information and submit questions to the Mayor.
Give them the questions to ask. Contact your Village Officials and tell them your concerns. Make sure they address each one of them.
We will notify every resident when the proposal is back on the agenda and the meeting date and time so we can show the Board how we feel in person.
THIS is the power of people; use it and make it strong. We can say no to Wal-Mart, we will show them that the Village of Glen Carbon has more power than a giant corporation with no concern for our community.
The Wal-Mart expansion proposal has been taken off the agenda for the April 10th Village Board meeting. This is a good sign and indicates that the Trustees and Mayor are taking the concerns of their residents very seriously. Each Trustee has been asked to review a large packet of information and submit questions to the Mayor.
Give them the questions to ask. Contact your Village Officials and tell them your concerns. Make sure they address each one of them.
We will notify every resident when the proposal is back on the agenda and the meeting date and time so we can show the Board how we feel in person.
THIS is the power of people; use it and make it strong. We can say no to Wal-Mart, we will show them that the Village of Glen Carbon has more power than a giant corporation with no concern for our community.
Friday, March 30, 2007
What Can I Do?
It is time for you and I to act. Our Village officials must understand how stongly we feel about this issue. Do as many of the following as you can and get your neighbors to do the same.
Contact your Village Officials Their names and contact info can be found at the bottom of this page.
Sign our e-petition. Follow this link and then forward the link to others: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopthesupercenter/
Attend the Village Board meeting when the expansion is addressed. We will notify you by email if you wish, we will post the date on this website and we will send out a flyer to each residence. Whether you address the board yourself or just show your support for those who do, let your voice be heard.
Any citizen can address the board; stand up and simply tell them that you don't want a WalMart SuperCenter and why. The more residents they hear from, the more likely it is they will find a way to "just say no."
However you contact your officials, in person, by phone, email, or letter; you must tell them WHY you don't want the SuperCenter. They will not respond to statements with no back up. So tell them: too much traffic, crowded parking lot, loss of small businesses, too many grocery stores...they will listen when enough of us speak out.
Vote for the following candidates for Village Trustee on April 17:
Phil Morris
Joe Micheletto
Margaret Moggio
John Navin
Contact your Village Officials Their names and contact info can be found at the bottom of this page.
Sign our e-petition. Follow this link and then forward the link to others: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopthesupercenter/
Attend the Village Board meeting when the expansion is addressed. We will notify you by email if you wish, we will post the date on this website and we will send out a flyer to each residence. Whether you address the board yourself or just show your support for those who do, let your voice be heard.
Any citizen can address the board; stand up and simply tell them that you don't want a WalMart SuperCenter and why. The more residents they hear from, the more likely it is they will find a way to "just say no."
However you contact your officials, in person, by phone, email, or letter; you must tell them WHY you don't want the SuperCenter. They will not respond to statements with no back up. So tell them: too much traffic, crowded parking lot, loss of small businesses, too many grocery stores...they will listen when enough of us speak out.
Vote for the following candidates for Village Trustee on April 17:
Phil Morris
Joe Micheletto
Margaret Moggio
John Navin
Update
Last Tuesday, March 20, our Planning and Zoning Commission failed to heed concerns regarding parking and traffic issues and voted 5 to 1 to move the WalMart expansion plan forward. It is now up to the Village Board of Trustees and the Zoning Board of Appeals whether or not WalMart and THF Realty destroy Cottonwood Mall, remove small businesses from our community and add to the traffic problems that already exist.
The Village Trustees and Mayor insist that it is not within their power to simply deny the proposal, as it meets all our existing Ordinances. If our Village Board were to deny the proposal, WalMart would have a legal basis to sue our Village.
But the WalMart expansion proposal does NOT meet our Ordinances. WalMart/THF have requested a variance for the parking lot. Do you know that the current WalMart store already has a variance that allows them to provide FEWER spaces than those required by our laws? And now they are requesting a further variance to provide an even lower percentage of the required parking spaces for their new SuperCenter.
Fewer spaces and more cars...
In addition, the traffic report submitted by Crawford, Bunte and Brammeier traffic engineering firm states that the increase in traffic will have minimal impact at any specific entrance. Really? That's amazing, since according to their own report the new SuperCenter will result in a net increase of 4,670 trips daily. An additional 4,670 trips in and out of Cottonwood per day will have minimal impact? This is the traffic report our Planning and Zoning commission used to make the decision to approve WalMart's site plan.
We are demanding that our Village require a FULL TRAFFIC IMPACT study before they even consider voting on the propsed expansion. Please call and email your Trustees and insist that a full traffic impact study be performed to insure the right decision is made for our community.
And the Zoning Board of Appeals can stop this fiasco in its tracks. The parking lot variance does NOT have to be approved! If the Board of Appeals fails to grant the variance, WalMart cannot expand and there is no legal recourse they can take. A business cannot force our community to lower their zoning practices and standards; these laws were established for the good of our citizens. All we need is for our Zoning Board of Appeals to uphold our communities standards and our town keeps out a SuperCenter that will destroy businesses and increase traffic hazards in our Village.
The Village Trustees and Mayor insist that it is not within their power to simply deny the proposal, as it meets all our existing Ordinances. If our Village Board were to deny the proposal, WalMart would have a legal basis to sue our Village.
But the WalMart expansion proposal does NOT meet our Ordinances. WalMart/THF have requested a variance for the parking lot. Do you know that the current WalMart store already has a variance that allows them to provide FEWER spaces than those required by our laws? And now they are requesting a further variance to provide an even lower percentage of the required parking spaces for their new SuperCenter.
Fewer spaces and more cars...
In addition, the traffic report submitted by Crawford, Bunte and Brammeier traffic engineering firm states that the increase in traffic will have minimal impact at any specific entrance. Really? That's amazing, since according to their own report the new SuperCenter will result in a net increase of 4,670 trips daily. An additional 4,670 trips in and out of Cottonwood per day will have minimal impact? This is the traffic report our Planning and Zoning commission used to make the decision to approve WalMart's site plan.
We are demanding that our Village require a FULL TRAFFIC IMPACT study before they even consider voting on the propsed expansion. Please call and email your Trustees and insist that a full traffic impact study be performed to insure the right decision is made for our community.
And the Zoning Board of Appeals can stop this fiasco in its tracks. The parking lot variance does NOT have to be approved! If the Board of Appeals fails to grant the variance, WalMart cannot expand and there is no legal recourse they can take. A business cannot force our community to lower their zoning practices and standards; these laws were established for the good of our citizens. All we need is for our Zoning Board of Appeals to uphold our communities standards and our town keeps out a SuperCenter that will destroy businesses and increase traffic hazards in our Village.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Zoning & Planning Meeting Tuesday!
We have the momentum. We have the people. And most importantly, we have the the facts on our side! But none of that will matter if we don't show up on Tuesday for the Zoning & Planning Commission's re-hearing of the Wal-Mart expansion on Tuesday. A magically manifested traffic study will be present with some...interesting findings to say the least.
Come and sign up to speak. Get the facts. Let the village know that from now on, they can't just impose their vision of Glen Carbon on us!
Oh, and expect some fireworks. If nothing else, it will be interesting.
Come and sign up to speak. Get the facts. Let the village know that from now on, they can't just impose their vision of Glen Carbon on us!
Oh, and expect some fireworks. If nothing else, it will be interesting.
Zoning & Planning Meeting
Tuesday, March 20th
7pm
Village Hall, 151 North Main Street
Tuesday, March 20th
7pm
Village Hall, 151 North Main Street
*As a service, we've posted the text of Wal-Mart's "traffic study" below, back-dated to 1/1/07 to keep it from filling up the page. The date on the report is March 8th.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
VICTORY!
Last night, the Village of Glen Carbon's Planning and Zoning Commission voted to "table" Wal-Mart's and THF development's proposal to add over 80,000 square feet to their Cottonwood Mall location, wiping out parking and neighboring shops.
For media on this victory, follow these links: Edwardsville Intelligencer, Belleville News-Democrat, The Telegraph.
Nobody can accuse Glen Carbonites of forgetfulness: two weeks ago the Planning and Zoning Commission failed to meet a quorom when commissioners declined to show up and face an angry public. They rescheduled the meeting for yesterday, March 6th, and we showed up in force!
Glen-Ed Citizens for Fair Growth showed the Board true people power, and the developer and Wal-Mart wilted under the pressure--they even insisted they had submitted a non-existent traffic report analyzing the impact a huge Wal-Mart expansion would have on an already hectic roadway.
"I have to correct you," Building and Zoning Administrator Will Shashack said. "I don't have a traffic study."
The outpouring of opposition to the expansion being forced on us sent a clear message to Wal-Mart and THF: this is our community.
Glen Carbon resident Phillip Bailey summed it up best:
"I've talked to a lot of people. We don't want your Superstore."
Don't be fooled, though: this isn't the end. Wal-Mart and THF will be back, and we'll have to be vigilant and make sure that every time they try to sneak something through, we're there to say, "We don't want your Superstore!"
For media on this victory, follow these links: Edwardsville Intelligencer, Belleville News-Democrat, The Telegraph.
Nobody can accuse Glen Carbonites of forgetfulness: two weeks ago the Planning and Zoning Commission failed to meet a quorom when commissioners declined to show up and face an angry public. They rescheduled the meeting for yesterday, March 6th, and we showed up in force!
Glen-Ed Citizens for Fair Growth showed the Board true people power, and the developer and Wal-Mart wilted under the pressure--they even insisted they had submitted a non-existent traffic report analyzing the impact a huge Wal-Mart expansion would have on an already hectic roadway.
"I have to correct you," Building and Zoning Administrator Will Shashack said. "I don't have a traffic study."
The outpouring of opposition to the expansion being forced on us sent a clear message to Wal-Mart and THF: this is our community.
Glen Carbon resident Phillip Bailey summed it up best:
"I've talked to a lot of people. We don't want your Superstore."
Don't be fooled, though: this isn't the end. Wal-Mart and THF will be back, and we'll have to be vigilant and make sure that every time they try to sneak something through, we're there to say, "We don't want your Superstore!"
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
MYTHBUSTING: Schools and TIFs
Many people are sort of shrugging about the proposed Supercenter expansion at Cottonwood Mall because they think the tax revenue it will generate will go to the schools--but that's a MYTH.
In fact, because the Supercenter exists in a TIF district, the tax revenue generated would likely go towards the cost of the expansion itself on infrastructure.
The Neighborhood Capital Budget Group (NCBG) has some good background on TIFs here:
How TIFs Work
In fact, because the Supercenter exists in a TIF district, the tax revenue generated would likely go towards the cost of the expansion itself on infrastructure.
The Neighborhood Capital Budget Group (NCBG) has some good background on TIFs here:
How TIFs Work
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
We Showed Up--Where Were They?
If you made it out to village hall for the site plan hearing tonight, then you witnessed the unbelievable: five of the commission's members didn't bother to show up for the meeting, meaning Wal-Mart's potential impact on our lives, communities, and pocketbooks wasn't worth their time.
If they think they can just delay us out of having some input and getting answers, they're wrong. Mark your calendar: March 6th, 7pm. We'll be there, and we hope you'll come, too!
Send us an email at GlenEdCitizens@yahoo.com or sign up by clicking "Sign Up to Receive Information" to the right!
If they think they can just delay us out of having some input and getting answers, they're wrong. Mark your calendar: March 6th, 7pm. We'll be there, and we hope you'll come, too!
Send us an email at GlenEdCitizens@yahoo.com or sign up by clicking "Sign Up to Receive Information" to the right!
Zoning Hearing Tonight!
Don't miss the Zoning Commission's Site Plan review tonight at Village Hall, tonight Tuesday February 20th at 7:00pm. The village hall is at 151 North Main Street. Come and make your voice heard!
Monday, January 1, 2007
Text of "Traffic Study"
Site Overview
The existing store is located within the
Route 159 to the west (a row of outparcels is located between the Plaza and Route 159).
Construction was recently completed by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to widen
Route 159 to a five-lane section (two through lanes in each direction plus a center left-turn lane)
adjacent to the site. Route 159 now consists of five lanes from Edwardsville to
(with the exception of downtown
This site currently has good accessibility from the regional road network, and the improvements to
Route 159 have eased congestion on that roadway and further enhanced access for patrons of
opposite Junction Dnve, though the intersection of the Plaza's ring road with Cottonwood Dnve is
also heavily utilized. A traffic signal has recently been installed at that location to serve both the
ring road and a new grocery store on the south side of
In addition, patrons of the site may also access Route 159 via
restricted to right-dright-out only as part of IDOT's widening project) and at its signalized
intersection with
adjacent Lowe's store was constructed. Finally, access to the rear of the site (near the Tire & Lube
Express) is provided via a driveway on
Wal-Mart loading dock in the southeast comer of the building.
It should be noted that both IDOT and the
evaluating potential changes in traffic operations at this site. Specifically, DOT has jurisdiction
over Route 159, while the Village controls
full traffic impact study to specifically analyze the capacity of the external intersections.
Existing Access & Circulation Issues
In general, the availability of multiple points of access to the site provides favorable accessibility to
the existing Wal-Mart from the external roadways. The recent expansion of Route 159 to five lanes
has significantly improved conditions on that roadway and reduced delays associated with accessing
the site from the north, west and south.
In addition, motorists exiting the site onto
experienced lengthy delays during peak periods as well. However, the increased capacity on Route
159 along with the recently installed traffic signal at the ring road intersection have substantially
improved conditions at that location and facilitated improved access tolfrom the east.
Although the site's external access constraints have largely been addressed by these recent
improvements, several issues were identified with regards to the existing Wal-Mart store's internal
circulation and parking. For ease of reference, the areas of concern are identified graphically in
Exhibit 1 and described in detail as follows.
A. Access tolfrom West Ring Road
Access to the existing Wal-Mart parking lot is provided via three drives on the three-lane ring
road between Cottonwood Road and Junction Drive. The northernmost entrance to the lot is
located too close to Junction Drive and the "canoe" diverter for incoming motorists, which
results in frequent conflicts between motorists executing northbound left tums onto Junction
Drive and those making southbound left-tum movements into the site parking lot.
In addition, each of the three driveways on the ring road have substantial sight distance
restrictions due to the presence of bushes along the east side of the road. That vegetation
obstructs the sight lines of motorists attempting to exit the lot and forces drivers to pull slightly
into the roadway in order to view oncoming traffic, which is a significant safety concern.
B. Parking Conflicts
A review of a previous study on parking lot crashes at Cottonwood Plaza and several other area
shopping centers (as part of a University research project) revealed that a total of 60 crashes were
reported within the Cottonwood Plaza parking lot in 2001 alone, and the large majority of these
incidents occurred in fiont of Wal-Mart. During recent observations at the store, numerous
conflicts were observed within the parking lot, including activity near the ring road entrances,
near the rear access drive at the southwest comer of the building and within the parking lot itself.
One contributing factor to these conflicts appears to be that there is currently no contiguous
north-south drive aisle within the parking lot, so motorists must utilize the ring road, cut across
the parking aisles or traverse the fiontage of the store in order to circulate within the parking lot.
Motorists were typically observed doing the latter two alternatives, and the 2001 crash records
included numerous incidents &om vehicles cutting across the lot and hitting another moving or
parked car. The prevalence of these collisions is likely due to the expansive parking lot and the
lack of separation or delineated drive aisles throughout the lot.
C. Access Constraints to Cottonwood Road
At the southern end of the ring road, the activation of the signal on Cottonwood Road has
improved conditions for motorists exiting the site. However, inbound motorists fiom the east are
sometimes c'blocked" by westbound queues at the signal. The proposed installation of a
westbound right-turn lane at this location would significantly improve these conditions.
D. Traffic Flows Between Front and Rear of Store
Although they are apparently intended primarily as truck and Tire & Lube Express entrances and
only for secondary customer access, the two entrances near the southeast comer of the site (one
on Cottonwood Road and one on Kriege Farm Road) are used extensively by customers
accessing the front parking bt. This heavy use is likely due in part to the congestion present at
Cottonwood Road's intersection with the ring road and also to the increasing customer
population to the east of the site.
The heavy use of the rear Cottonwood Road entrance by traffic traversing between the fiont and
rear of the store creates motorist confusion and conflicts between entering and exiting
movements. Specifically, that entrance was not designed to carry substantial traffic flows and
the throat depth available for storing exiting motorists is minimaL This issue has qparently
raised concern by the Village, and a "No Turns" sign has been installed at that location.
Aside from conflicts at the rear of the store, these back-to-fiont flows (and vice versa) are
constrained along the south side of the Wal-Mart store where relatively narrow lane widths are
provided. In addition, sight distance is restricted by the comer of the lawn and garden center at
the intersection of that side road with the parking lot, and the west leg of that intersection is
confi,wed at a skew.
E. Truck Access
The existing Wal-Mart store is served by loading docks at the southeast comer of the building.
Signage within this area denotes the Kriege Farm Road driveway as the truck entrance and the
Cottonwood Road drive as the truck exit. Although trucks do seem to follow that circulation
plan, truck operations are constrained due to the lack of a clear turnaround area. Specifically,
trucks were frequently observed maneuvering around vehicles parked near the Tire & Lube
Express as well as backing off of the site onto adjacent parking lots and roadways in order to
access the loading docks.
It was noted that the presence of parking within the center of the lot was not depicted on the
current site plan (or former plans) since that area was apparently designated as a truck
turnaround area. The addition of that parking (presumably to serve the Tire & Lube Express
demands) is contributing to the constrained truck operations.
Anticipated Changes in Site-Generated Traffic Associated with the Supercenter
It is our understanding that the existing 129,175 s.f. Wal-Mart store would be expanded to a 210,569
s.f. Supercenter. In order to accommodate the expansion, approximately 12,768 s.f. of shops and
restaurants immediately adjacent to the store would be removed. In addition, the existing
Cottonwood Mall, which contains a small movie theatre and some office space but is generally
underutilized, would be removed. That two-story facility contains approximately 53,638 s.f., though
much of that space is currently vacant. Finally, an existing shop space near the north of end of the
center (formerly Big Lots) would be reduced fiom 25,000 s.f. to 9,900 s.f. and a small 100 s.f. shop
would be added to the north end of the building.
In total, approximately 8 1,406 s.f. of space would be removed from the Plaza and 81,394 would be
added to Wal-Mart for a slight net decrease in total site square footage. However, many of the stores
that would be eliminated are "specialty retail" facilities (Payless Shoes, Radio Shack, CAT0
clothing store, etc.) that are relatively low traffic generators and, more importantly, the Cottonwood
Mall currently generates only minor peak period traffic activity despite its large square footage.
Conversely, the Wal-Mart addition, which will include groceries, would be expected to generate a
meaningful increase in traffic, though many of those additional trips would be "captured" from the
existing clientele.
In an effort to predict how much additional traffic would be generated by the supercenter, we
researched available reports published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) as well as
data provided by Wal-Mart &om independent studies of other facilities. These resources produced
wide-ranging results that underscore the fact that Wal-Mart's trip generation can be heavily
influenced by population, building size and market area (presence of competing uses). However, it
Mr. Theo Stone
March 8,2007
Page 5
may be surmised that due to the "capturing" of existing patrons, the net increase in traffic is not
proportionate to the added floor area. In fact, there is some evidence to suggest that the net trip
generation rate (trips per 1,000 s.f. of floor area) for a Wal-Mart Supercenter is lower than for a
typical Wal-Mart store, though a more conservative approach was used in this analysis.
Based on a composite of the various resources, it was estimated that Wal-Mart Supercenters generate
traffic at a rate of 5.12 trips/l,OOO s.f. during the p.m. peak hour of a weekday and 6.19 trips/1,000
s.f. during the midday peak of a Saturday. These rates were used to forecast the trip generation for
the proposed store, from which traffic for the existing store was deducted using standard ITE rates
(5.06 trips/1,000 s.f. and 7.58 trips/1,000 s.f. for the p.m. and Saturday peak hours, respectively).
For the purposes of these calculations, it was also necessary to estimate the traffic activity that is
currently associated with the uses that would be removed as part of the proposed project. Fbr the
adjacent shops and shop space at the north end of the site, the ITE rates for Specialty Retail uses
were applied over their full square footage. However, in order to account for the hgh vacancy rate
and low activity of Cottonwood Mall, only 25% of its square footage was considered to be currently
"active."
The resulting calculations are summarized in Table 1. As can be seen, the proposed expansion
would be expected to generate a net increase of 315 trips during the p.m. peak hour and 215 trips
during the Saturday peak hour. On a daily basis, it is estimated that the supercenter would generate
an additional 4,670 trips.
It should be noted that these volumes represent total trips (both inbound and outbound). After
allowing for directional splits, the proposed expansion would add a maximum of 160 total vehicles
per hour (vph) either inbound or outbound during the p.m. peak hour. After distributing these trips
between the several primary access drives serving the site, it is likely than the net increase to any
individual movement at those locations would be relatively minor.
Anticipated Deficiencies and the Need for Improvements to Accommodate the Supercenter
Given the recent completion of the improvements to Route 159 and Cottonwood Road, it is
anticipated that sufficient capacity is available to accommodate the proposed expansion without the
need for M e r improvements on these external roadways (aside fi-om a right turn lane on
Cottonwood Road that is already proposed as part of the site plan). However, it is important to note
that the resulting increase in traffic activity would exacerbate the existing internal circulation issues
described above.
Therefore, we have provided several potential modifications to consider in conjunction with the
proposed expansion, as depicted in Exhibit 2 It should be noted that many of these suggestions
could be implemented independently of one another. The deficiencies and recommended corrective
measures are described as follows:
e Access tolfi-om West Ring Road
In order to correct the existing constraints along the west ring road, it is recommended that the
access between that road and the parking lot be modified. Specifically, the northernmost drive is too
close to Junction Drive and needs to be closed. A potential means of accommodating that closure
and facilitating improved access for Wal-Mart and the remainder of Cottonwood Plaza would be to
remove the existing canoe diverter island and facilitate a four-way internal intersection. In addition
to reducing conflicts along the ring road, that configuration would also provide more direct access
&om Route 159 into the parking lot, while accommodating the parking lot circulation changes
suggested below.
In order to address the sight distance constraints along the ring road, it is recommended that the
existing vegetation along the east side of the road be removed. Those bushes currently represent a
significant sight obstruction, and it would be important to address that safety concern as part of the
proposed project.
0 Parking Conflicts
In order to address the existing circulatory constraints within the parking lot, it is recommended that
the lot be reconfigured to provide a delineated, contiguous internal circulation drive along its
western extents. As depicted in Exhibit 2, this drive could be accommodated through the use of
islands (preferably raised) at the end of each parking aisle. Some of the resulting parking losses
could be recaptured along the western edge of the lot.
In addition, it would be appropriate to provide a continuous raised island along at least one of the
parking aisles in fi-ont of the store. This island would prevent motorists from cutting across the
parking lot (an existing factor in the high number of parking lot collisions at this site) and provide
clear direction regarding the appropriate circulatory patterns within the lot. A raised island in this
Mr. Theo Stone
March 8,2007
Page 7
location could also potentially be used as a pedestrian walkway for customers to use between the lot
and the fiont of the store.
Clearly, the recommended modifications would have an impact on the parking yield within this lot.
If all of the potential improvements were implemented as suggested, approximately 40 less parking
spaces would be provided versus the base site plan. However, it was also noted that 9.5-foot wide
spaces are provided in front of Wal-Mart, while only 9-foot wide spaces are required (and are
provided within the rest of the lot to the north). The use of 9-foot parking spaces should allow the
majority of the potential parking losses to be recaptured.
0 Access Constraints to
In order to address current constraints and improve access to the Wal-Mart parking lot from the ring
road, it is recommended that the ring road be widened to provide a second northbound lane fiom
lane. The provision of this auxiliary lane would allow motorists to bypass any blockages in the
inside (existing) northbound lane and reduce the potential for spillbacks into the signalized
intersection with
Traffic Flows Between Front and Rear of Store
As previously discussed, the heavy use of the rear site entrances and the resulting flows between the
fiont and back of the store (along the south side of the building) create conflicts currently. These
concerns are likely to worsen with the expansion of the store and ongoing residential growth to the
east of the site. Furthermore, it is our understanding that a lawn and garden pick-up drive is
proposed along the south side of the store as part of the expansion project, and that modification
would further reduce the available width of the drive (which is already constrained).
In order to address these issues, it is recommended that consideration be given to restricting the
south-side access dnve to service only eastbound traffic flows. This modification would
significantly reduce traffic flows utilizing the rear access drives, while still allowing access between
the fiont and rear of the store. In particular, an eastbound configuration of the drive would allow
customers parked within the fiont lot to use the lawn and garden pick-up drive without leaving the
site.
Truck Access
The proposed changes for access between the front and rear of the store would also reduce traffic
activity within the existing loading zone at the southeast comer of the site. However, the presence of
parking within the turnaround area would still constrain truck maneuvers. In order to address that
issue, consideration should be given to removing or reducing the allowed parking within that area,
though alternative locations for parking (should it need to be replaced) are not apparent.
Mr. Theo Stone
March 8,2007
Page 8
Based on the proposed site plan, it appears that a second loading dock area would be constructed to
service the grocery portion of the Supercenter. Unfortunately, the turnaround area depicted for that
truck dock is also within an existing prking field behind
duplicating the constraints associated with the existing loading area, it is recommended that a clear
truck turnaround be provided (free of regular parking) to the extent possible.
In closing, it should be reiterated that it is our belief that this site is capable of accommodating the
proposed store expansion &om a traffic engineering perspective. The proposed internal circulation
modifications would ease existing constraints and facilitate safer and more convenient access to and
within the site.
We trust that you will find this assessment useful in evaluating traffic conditions associated with the
proposed
questions or comments concerning this material or if you require any additional information.
Sincerely,
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Dustin B. Riechmann, P.E., PTOE
Project Engineer
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