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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>So what happened after press deadline?
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<DIV>From today's Lewiston Morning Tribune:</DIV>
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<H1>Moscow rezone finds few friends</H1><!--End Headline--><BR><!--Start Byline-->
<ADDRESS>By DAVID JOHNSON<BR>of the Tribune</ADDRESS><!--End Byline-->
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<P>MOSCOW -- Nobody mentioned Wal-Mart. But a steady stream of people voiced
their opposition Wednesday night to a proposed zone change that could open the
door for the world's largest retailer to build a super center here.
<P>One man warned that "the nose of the camel is in the tent" and urged members
of the Moscow Planning and Zoning Commission to recommend denial of an
application to rezone 77 acres on the southeast corner of town to motor
business.
<P>Four people spoke in favor of the rezone.
<P>By press time, commissioners were still listening to opposition testimony at
the public hearing and it remained unclear whether a decision would be reached.
<P>"This is our home and we want to defend it," Chris Norton of Moscow said,
testifying against the proposed zone change.
<P>"This location for a motor business zone makes sense," said resident Shelley
Bennett, a local Realtor.
<P>The land is owned by the Gene Thompson family and is currently being farmed.
It's located directly across from the Moscow City Cemetery adjacent to State
Highway 8 and was annexed last June as an extensive commercial site.
<P>Shortly after, Wal-Mart announced intentions to build a super center on the
site. A conceptual plan filed with the city shows, in addition to the Wal-Mart
Supercenter, the potential for two additional big box retailers and upward of a
dozen smaller retail stores on the site.
<P>Jim Demeerleer, whose Furniture West business lost it's retail site on the
west side of town amid expansion of Tri-State, said he welcomed a new place for
motor business. "Give businesses an opportunity to expand," he urged the
commissioners.
<P>But Bill Parks, a downtown businessman, said a large motor business complex
on the east side of Moscow would all but kill the central business sector. He
likened Moscow's downtown to a garden dependent on a steady flow of vehicle
traffic that would be siphoned away by a large scale retail development.
<P>More than 100 people crammed their way into the hearing, held in the Moscow
City Council chamber. Many people sat on the floor, or stood in the hallway as
testimony was heard. Chairman Jerry Schutz pounded his gavel a number of times
to quiet the crowd or admonish them to not react to testimony.
<P>Schutz also let it be known that the business at hand had everything to do
with a proposed zone change, and nothing to do with the possible arrival of any
big box retailers. The commission will forward its decision to the city council
for final consideration.
<P>John C. McCullough, a Seattle attorney representing Spokane-based CLC
Associates, spoke on behalf of the Thompson family. He's the same attorney who
-- through CLC -- represents Wal-Mart's attempts to build super centers in
neighboring Pullman and in Spokane.
<P>McCullough told the commissioners that the proposed zone change is in
accordance with the city's comprehensive plan. "This is not an application for
any particular development or use," said McCullough. "It's ideally located for a
motor business zone."
<P>Joel Plaskon, the city's community development director, recommended that the
commissioners approve the motor business zone change, at least for part of the
77 acres.
<P>Members of a group called No Super Wal-Mart have vowed to fight construction
of a super center not just at the zoning level, but throughout any development
proposal. Unlike neighboring Pullman, Moscow has a so-called big box store
ordinance that would require conditional use permits for any new retail store
over 45,000 square feet.
<P>Wal-Mart Supercenters usually surpass 200,000 square feet. Moscow Mayor Nancy
Chaney has said the city council may also consider the question of placing a
size cap on big box stores. All retail stores currently in town are under
100,000 square feet, according to officials. </P></DIV>
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