1 Apr 2004

Scottsdale Voters Overturn Big Box Subsidy

by | Date: 1 Apr 2004 | posted in: Retail | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In March, voters in Scottsdale, Arizona, overwhelmingly rejected a plan to provide a massive public subsidy for a 42-acre big box development anchored by a Wal-Mart supercenter and a Lowe’s Home Improvement store. The plan, which was approved by the city council last year, allowed the developer to keep 49 percent of all the sales taxes generated by the shopping center over the next 40 years. Accounting for interest and inflation, the total value of the subsidy is estimated at $183 million.… Read More
1 Feb 2004

Tuolumne County Caps the Size of Retail Stores

by | Date: 1 Feb 2004 | posted in: Retail | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Before a standing-room-only crowd, the Tuolumne County, California, Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in January to ban retail outlets over 60,000 square feet, about half the size of the average Home Depot store. The vote came after several months of review and more than two hours of public testimony in which residents overwhelmingly endorsed the measure. "Towns that have resisted the boxes have a vital diverse downtown business climate," one resident told the board. … Read More
1 Jul 2003

Coalition Fights Massive Big Box Subsidy in Arizona

by | Date: 1 Jul 2003 | posted in: Retail | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In July, the Scottsdale, Arizona, City Council voted 4-3 to approve one of the largest subsidies ever given to a big box retail development. Those voting in the minority described the subsidy, which could amount to as much as $183 million over 40 years, as "obscene" and "insane." The 600,000-square-foot development includes a Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, and Lowe’s Home Improvement store. The project is slated for a 42-acre site occupied by a derelict mall in south Scottsdale. … Read More
1 Jul 2003

Arizona Coalition Urges, Think Independently, Buy Locally

by | Date: 1 Jul 2003 | posted in: Retail | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

A new coalition of more than 70 independent businesses in the Phoenix metro area is urging residents to "Think Independently, Buy Locally." The coalition, known as Arizona Chain Reaction, grew out of a conversation between Michael Monti, owner of Monti’s restaurant, and Kimber Lanning, owner of Stinkweed, an alternative music store. At first, they simply wanted to get about ten local businesses together to buy advertising as a group. … Read More
1 Oct 2001

Coconino County, Arizona Caps Store Size

by | Date: 1 Oct 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

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 May 2001

Glendale Voters Reject Supercenter

by | Date: 1 May 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

On May 15, the citizens of Glendale, Arizona voted to uphold city zoning rules that will prevent Wal-Mart from building a 220,000 square foot, 24-hour supercenter. Nearly 60 percent of voters favored maintaining the zoning and keeping Wal-Mart out. In 1999, the City Council rezoned a 39 acre site from agricultural to commercial in order to allow construction of a shopping center. City officials and nearby residents were led to believe that the center would house small, neighborhood-serving shops in a pedestrian-oriented design.… Read More
1 Nov 2000

Preserving Tucson’s Unique Flavor

by | Date: 1 Nov 2000 | posted in: Retail | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Two years ago, a group of independent restaurant owners in Tucson, Arizona stopped thinking of themselves as competitors and launched a collective effort to counter the rapid expansion of chain restaurants. They formed an organization, Tucson Originals, and pooled resources for group promotion and purchasing. Their success inspired the creation of a national independent restaurant network that hopes to seed similar local alliances in cities across the country. … Read More

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