WalMart still has some work to do to gain the favor of the planning board for a proposed distribution center at 121 Webster Ave.
WalMart was before the planning board last week for a special permit recommendation and site plan approval for a proposed 25,000-square-foot WalMart Depot in the Home Depot plaza on Webster Ave.
Some board members, as well as residents and officials who spoke during the public hearing, raised concerns about traffic, truck routes, landscaping, and whether the proposed project is the best use for a retail plaza. The board ultimately voted 4-3 to recommend a denial from the zoning board of appeals for the special permit.
The ZBA is hearing the case at its next meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 8. The ZBA can grant the special permit, even with the recommendation for denial from the planning board.
At its meeting, the planning board also voted to continue the site plan review for the project until its next meeting on Sept. 22. Board members stated that they want to see a traffic study, a community meeting with abutters, and the lease proposal for the distribution center space before voting on the site plan.
During last week’s public hearing, WalMart officials explained the plan for the WalMart Depot center.
Rather than ordering online from larger nearby WalMart Supercenters in Saugus and Lynn, the Depot location will be stocked with high volume, everyday items that shoppers can order to be delivered in one to two hours. The public would not be allowed to shop within the distribution center, but WalMart approved drivers would pick up between one to three orders to deliver to shoppers within a 30 minute radius.
Glen Wilkins, a director of public affairs and government relations at WalMart, said the WalMart Depot would contain about 10,000 of the store’s most popular items for speedy delivery. He noted that the service would be especially valuable for the elderly or people in the community without vehicles.
At the outset, Wilkins estimated there would be about 100 to 150 driver trips going in and out of the center per day for about 300 orders; as well as several larger tractor-trailer deliveries into the distribution center itself during the morning.
The delivery of the orders would take place from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., he said.
“I’m kind of concerned about the principle of putting an unbranded building that isn’t allowing customers in a shopping plaza, that seems kind of counter to the entire purpose of a shopping plaza,” said planning board member Eric Czernizer.
Wilkins said the larger trucks would not be using residential roads and would come into the center through Rte. 16.
While Czernizer said he was not overly concerned with the traffic generated by the WalMart Depot at first, he said that if it is successful, it could generate additional traffic in the future.
Planning board member Sarah Ritch said she was concerned that since drivers are paid by the number of deliveries they make, it could make for unsafe and dangerous driving conditions in and around the plaza.
“Currently, I would say there’s probably just as much risk as anyone trying to hustle home to beat the rush hour traffic, but I understand your concern,” said Wilkins.
Czernizer and other board members also raised concerns that there would be nothing to mark the building or increase its curb appeal.
“You’re doing zero to the front of the building,” said board member Mimi Rancatore. “I get you want to have a building that is unmarked, but we also need a lighting plan and security … you’ve got to do something to the front of the building. You can’t just have a door and have all these people because everybody’s going to wonder what it is.”
City Councilor-at-Large Leo Robinson said he believes the city can do better with development at the Webster Avenue site.
“I don’t think even one percent of the community is going to utilize this service, so I don’t see a real benefit for the community other than we are going to take on all the traffic and we’re going to tie up Webster Avenue more than it is tied up every morning, every afternoon when school is getting out, it is just going to be awful,” Robinson said. “We’re not getting any real big return in regards to taxes. I’ll just say we can do better.”