The Site Plan and Architectural Commission hands the final decision back to City Council

The world’s largest retailer got a preliminary green light Tuesday to build in Medford.

The site, architectural and landscape portion of a revised Wal-Mart Supercenter proposal received tentative approval by the city’s Site Plan and Architectural Commission.

The decision came after two years of hearings and appeals with the commission, the City Council and the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals.

"I think the site plan that was approved today was far superior to the one that was approved before," said Rob Scott, Medford planning director, following the meeting.

The commission continued the portion of the meeting pertaining to a traffic study until a noon March 3 meeting in City Council Chambers, City Hall, 411 W. Eighth St. The public will be welcome to attend but not speak at that meeting.

Advertisement

The city could give the final OK to the project at that meeting and construction on the 205,693-square-foot supercenter could begin as soon as late spring on a 19.5-acre site between Center Drive and Highway 99.

Only one of the 40 audience members attending Tuesday’s meeting spoke during the public hearing portion. Shareen Vogel spoke on behalf of the Citizens for Responsible Development, a local group that has criticized the project.

She argued that even with the proposed modifications to the architecture and landscaping, the building was still not compatible with neighboring structures.

The citizen group also is working with Christine Cook, a Portland land-use attorney who has worked with citizens opposed to Wal-Mart construction in several Oregon cities, including Hood River and Gresham. Cook declined comment Tuesday.

Visual presentations were the key to the commission meeting.

Shad Vermeesch, project architect with Boice, Raidl, Rhea architects in Phoenix, Ariz., gave a PowerPoint presentation demonstrating how architectural elements from the nearby Harry & David building, Rogue Federal Credit Union and Fred Meyer, among others, were used in the revised proposal.

Commissioner Norm Nelson said the presentation was a key component in his decision to approve the project.

"I think that their presentation definitely exhibited compatibility with buildings within the surrounding area," he said.

Vogel’s presentation included an assembly of photographs comprising a panoramic view of a drive down Highway 99 as if the new Wal-Mart were there.

"It is up to you to decide what is compatible," she told the commission. "Look at this and see what the adjacent buildings are ... This new design still doesn’t do justice to the existing developments."

Wal-Mart representatives see Tuesday’s decision as a good sign.

"We are very pleased with the decision by the commission, which we think is even a better project for the city," said Greg Hathaway, the Portland attorney representing Wal-Mart.

The decision is the latest of several hearings about the project, which the site plan commission approved but, after citizen appeals, the City Council rejected in 2004. Wal-Mart appealed the decision to the LUBA, which returned the issue to the council, which sent it back to the commission.

The remaining issue the commission will vote on is whether Wal-Mart needs to do a comprehensive traffic study for the project. Two years ago the commission ruled it did not, but owners of Medford’s South Gateway Center filed an appeal, citing concerns about the traffic such a large store would create. LUBA ruled the city did not satisfactorily demonstrate that a traffic review was not required.

"I’d be surprised if the city would change their position," said Hathaway. "We would appeal that to the City Council for sure."

Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail mlanders@mailtribune.com.