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Medford considers 'big box' ordinance Medford city leaders will consider a draft proposal for an ordinance regulating "big box" stores, three years after they first broached the subject in response to Wal-Mart's interest in building a supercenter at Miles Field. If adopted, the ordinance would require specific design standards for any retail structure that has a footprint exceeding 25,000 square feet. Architectural features that add interest, repeated design patterns on facades and identified preferred materials and colors are among the proposed standards. The proposal also calls for requiring public spaces such as a plaza with seating, a playground or focal areas with fountains. No size limit is included in the ordinance, but at least one City Council member wants that changed. "I don't think big boxes ought to be as big as is being allowed by Wal-Mart," said Councilman Jim Key. He said in 2003, when the council considered adopting an ordinance, there was talk of setting a 160,000-square-foot limit, which would have meant Wal-Mart could not build its 206,000-square-foot supercenter in Medford. The Planning Commission is scheduled to discuss the big box ordinance in a study session at noon Monday in Room 151, Lausmann Annex, 200 S. Ivy St., Medford. The Medford City Council will discuss the ordinance at noon Thursday in the same location. "I think the council is trying to respond to public concern about architectural features in our community," said Mike Montero, urban development consultant. Montero is working on the 84-acre Northgate Centre development, replacing the old Medco lumber mill complex. He said he hasn't seen the proposal and does not know whether the ordinance would affect the Northgate project, but philosophically he supports the council and commission having requirements as long as there is some flexibility. "I would think that the city would put in place some deviation criteria for that special project," said Montero. "There's always going to be something we didn't foresee." Whether to set a size limit is among questions the city planning staff will pose to the commission and council. The staff report lists several buildings' sizes, ranging from Michaels at 20,000 square feet to Lowe's at 155,000. Rob Scott, planning director, said staff is also asking whether there should be a mechanism in place to prevent long-term vacancies. "There's a question of whether to include a provision that would require redevelopment or demolition of a building after a period of time," said Scott. The staff report cites that in 2004, Wal-Mart had more than 245 vacant buildings nationwide. The former Ernst Home Center in the South Gateway Center was vacant three years before a call center went into the building. Key has expressed concern several times that Wal-Mart will vacate one of its Supercenters, either Medford's or one to be built in Eagle Point. Wal-Mart's application to build a Supercenter in Central Point is still pending. "It's for sure that we're going to have an empty one," he said. "This place just can't support two Supercenters." In July 2003 the council called an emergency meeting to try to put a restrictive ordinance in place before Wal-Mart submitted its Supercenter application. The retail giant announced it would close the Talent store when the Medford Supercenter opened. Council members expressed concern about that vacancy, as well as a possible vacancy of the Miles Field site in the future. But Wal-Mart's application came in before regulations could be officially changed. The council formed a committee in 2004 to write an ordinance regulating large retail buildings. If adopted, the ordinance would apply only to future applications. The cities of Talent and Ashland have big box ordinances, and Central Point is considering adopting one. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail mlanders@mailtribune.com. Related Stories: |
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