1/13/1987 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

1) Dollar General Stores; 21 J Byron's; 3) J C. Penney Co. Inc.; and 4)..Woolworth.'s. Staff also researched the approximate size of food stores and discount stores permitted in the County in the last two years and checked on the approximate size of major department stores which are not currently located in the County but may locate here in the next five -to -ten years. All of those store types were found to be at -least 30,000 square feet in size as illustrated by the following information 1) Supermarkets (Albertson's, Publix, etc.) are in the 30 -to -40,000 square foot range; 2) Discount Stores (K -Mart, Wal-Mart, etc.) are in the 60 -to -85,000 square foot range; 3) Department Stores such as Belk -Lindsey, Jordan Marsh, Burdines, and Ivey is are in the 60 -to -80,000 square foot range; and 4) Large Department Store such as Macy's, Bloomingdales, etc. are in the 200,000+ square foot range. The staff feels that all of the uses discussed (i.e. variety stores, department stores, drug stores, supermarkets and discount stores) can be divided into two general size categories, those less than 40,000 square feet (including variety stores, small department stores, drug stores, and supermarkets) and those greater than 40,000 square feet (including large department stores and discount stores). Staff feels that it is difficult to define the differences among variety stores, department stores, and drug stores based on the type and variety of merchandise sold. In addition, the staff feels that the 40,000 square foot threshold for variety stores and department stores is more reasonable than the existing 5,000 square foot threshold based on the staff's survey of existing retail stores in the County. RECOMMENDATION Based on the above analysis, including the Planning and Zoning Commission's recommendation, staff recommends that the County amend Section 25.1 (j) of the zoning ordinance to allow variety stores and department stores in the CL district to be up to 40,000 square feet in size. Chairman Scurlock opened the Public Hearing and asked if anyone wished to be heard in this matter. Architect John Schlitt, spoke in behalf of his brother, Ed Schlitt, who has a client interested in building a 35,000 sq. ft. department store on property zoned CL. He believed a 5,000 sq. ft. maximum restriction was unreasonable when comparing a department store to a drug store, and felt the proposed store would be a benefit to the area they wish to serve. John Brenner, Planning & Zoning Commissioner, agreed this was a mistake and felt this is a good opportunity to correct it. 77 �� BOOK r•{�r �� 35