Article

1 Oct 2001

New Orleans Landmark Saved, But Wal-Mart Still Not Welcome

by Stacy Mitchell | Date: 1 Oct 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0

Fierce opposition from preservation and community groups has saved the last cotton press complex in the city of New Orleans from becoming a Wal-Mart parking lot. Now, building on this success, the groups hope to keep the proposed store out altogether. In July, the ironically named Historic Restoration Inc. (HRI) revealed plans to redevelop a 65-acre site along Tchoupitoulas Street in the heart of New Orleans. The proposal includes 1100 units of housing and a 203,000 square foot Wal-Mart supercenter. … Read More

1 Oct 2001

Coconino County, Arizona Caps Store Size

by Stacy Mitchell | Date: 1 Oct 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0

In August 2001, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed an ordinance barring the construction of stores larger than 70,000 square feet and requiring those over 25,000 square feet to obtain a conditional use permit. The ordinance will apply to all land in the county that lies outside of municipal boundaries. Coconino County is located in northern Arizona and includes the city of Flagstaff. … Read More

1 Oct 2001

Agoura Hills Residents Push Big Box Referendum

by Stacy Mitchell | Date: 1 Oct 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0

Hoping to protect their community’s semi-rural landscape and lifestyle, a group of residents and small business owners in Agoura Hills, California are pushing for a ballot initiative that would ban retail stores larger than 60,000 square feet. Agoura Hills is a town of 20,000 people located about 35 miles north of Los Angeles. Citizens for Responsible Development (CRD) began organizing earlier this year after a developer proposed building a 255,000 square foot retail complex south of Highway 101. … Read More

1 Oct 2001

Mamaroneck Zoning Law Survives Court Challenge

by Stacy Mitchell | Date: 1 Oct 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0

A New York court has let stand a local law enacted by the town of Mamaroneck governing development outside its borders. Under the law, large-scale developments that abut, adjoin, or are adjacent to the Mamaroneck’s borders must undergo a comprehensive review and obtain a permit from the Town Board. The law covers residential projects of 250 or more homes, facilities of more than 100,000 square feet, and projects involving parking for more than 1,000 vehicles. … Read More

1 Oct 2001

Protecting Historic Buildings From Chain Drugstores

by Stacy Mitchell | Date: 1 Oct 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0

Several years ago the major drugstore chains—CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, and Eckerd—lost interest in strip malls and began to focus their expansion plans on prominent downtown intersections. As Walgreens CEO Daniel Jorndt told the New York Times, the chain’s preferred location these days is "the corner of Main and Main." Often, of course, these intersections are occupied by some of the community’s oldest and most significant buildings. … Read More

1 Oct 2001

Thousands Camp In Big Box Parking Lots

by Stacy Mitchell | Date: 1 Oct 2001 | posted in: Retail | 1

Wal-Mart has become one of the nation’s largest campground operators. Every night thousands of recreational vehicles (RVs) set-up camp in Wal-Mart parking lots. The practice, which first began in the late 1980s, has grown rapidly in recent years. In places like Durango, Colorado and Anchorage, Alaska, Wal-Mart parking lots are jammed full of RVs night after night. Parking overnight at Wal-Mart is free, so campers save the $20 to $35 fee charged by traditional campgrounds.… Read More

1 Oct 2001

Sales Tax Fairness Update

by Stacy Mitchell | Date: 1 Oct 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0

Efforts to apply sales taxes equally to both bricks-and-mortar and online retailers have made substantial progress since our last update, yet it is likely to be several more years before a level playing field becomes a reality. The Supreme Court has ruled that states cannot compel out-of-state companies, including internet and catalogue retailers, to collect state and local sales taxes. … Read More

1 Oct 2001

Wal-Mart Settles Predatory Pricing Charge

by Stacy Mitchell | Date: 1 Oct 2001 | posted in: Retail | 1

Wal-Mart admits no wrongdoing and will not pay a fine in a settlement reached with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection over a predatory pricing complaint filed by the agency last year. The company will, however, face double or triple fines for any future violations, according to the terms of the agreement. The complaint accused Wal-Mart of selling butter, milk, laundry detergent, and other staple goods below cost at stores in Beloit, Oshkosh, Racine, Tomah, and West Bend. … Read More

20 Sep 2001

Letter to Editor: Response to Waste News Article, “Recyclers oppose tax breaks”

by ILSR | Date: 20 Sep 2001 | posted in: waste - recycling, Waste to Wealth | 0

September, 20 2001 Mr. Allan Gerlat, Editor Waste News, Akron, OH Dear Editor, Bob Eisenbud, Director of Legislative Affairs for Waste Management, Inc., said that the problem with recycling today is commodity prices, not relatively cheap landfills (“Recyclers oppose tax breaks,” Waste News, September 3, 2001). We disagree. Commodity prices do not drive recycling. The actual … Read More