Wal-Mart or no Wal-Mart, is that the question?

March 20, 2005

Spectrum/Jim Cooper

For those of you who know me, you know I am not anti-development, never have been, never will be. However, I am for reasonable, responsible development. I am for controlled growth.

As former city councilman and mayor of Palmer, I feel I must question the possible addition of Wal-Mart to our town.

I know all too well the difficulty of trying to balance what is good for the city government (budget, services, etc.) and what is good for the city. They are not always the same and sometimes the decisions made by the council are not the most popular.

In this case, I think the current city council needs to look at what is good for the Palmer residents. I'm not sure the addition of a large Wal-Mart (180,000-plus-square-foot building) three blocks from the city center is the direction the development of Palmer needs to go or should go.

When Cheri and I came to Palmer in 1995, we loved the small, quaint, community feeling created by all the small businesses and their owners, as I am sure most of you do. We also enjoyed the customers that came into our store and spent time visiting and loving the quiet, slow, get-to-know-your neighbor feel of this town. Growth is coming, but we don't need to turn our backs on it and allow it to overrun that feeling.

As mayor, it was always my contention that to be able to protect the downtown core area of Palmer, the area that draws people to Palmer, the city council must annex additional land. This extends our boundaries and thus establishes rules, regulations, zoning codes, for future businesses that wish to locate here.

It provides an opportunity for the city to control the growth Palmer wants and needs, while at the same time saying what type of industry we want. In regard to Wal-Mart, some will say, "Palmer already has a large retail establishment ordinance, what is the problem?" True. But, that ordinance was passed (with a lot of rewrites) as a knee-jerk reaction to the Fred Meyer store locating in downtown. (Who would have thought it?)

But it does not go far enough. Who would have thought Wal-Mart would locate here? The ordinance needs to establish additional standards for new large commercial construction, which will require the new businesses to be a better fit with the downtown milieu.

We were lucky to have had the opportunity to work with the management of Fred Meyer. They were great. They did most of what we asked them to do and more. I am not so sure the management of Wal-Mart would be so accommodating.

Some of the Palmer city ordinances passed have been reactionary - to things the council or the community didn't want. The addition of large multi-family dwellings in predominantly single-family areas is one example.

The city council (god bless them) needs to be proactive - before unwanted development overtakes the downtown area. David Cheezem, you had it right. Do we really want to be known as a Wal-Mart community? I think not!

For the longest time, Palmer has been known as the center of government for the borough: state troopers, borough office, USDA, DEC, MTA, MEA, Mat-Su school district, Pioneers' Home, while Wasilla has been the retail center.

Now I know the city needs taxes to be able to provide the excellent services it does, but the city council needs to look beyond the immediate potential tax benefit Wal-Mart may provide. It needs to analyze the potential downside of that type of business to the local businesses.

Although Wal-Mart will provide jobs, they will be a replacement for the loss of jobs created when the current "Mom and Pop" stores downtown close. There will be increased traffic on a street that is already over capacity, and, certainly not last, there will be a potential loss of the charm and beauty of the town we all love, Palmer.

It wasn't too many years ago when half of the store fronts in downtown were vacant. We have made an enormous step forward and those store fronts are filled. It is great to be able to walk downtown and see so many nice shops! I don't want to see us go back to the times of no stores.

If there are others out there who feel the possible addition of Wal-Mart is not the direction Palmer should go, there is a public process t

hat can help curb the tide. You cannot unnecessarily stop business from coming to town, (nor should you want to) but you can potentially limit the size of the business.

With enough input from citizens, the city council could pass a moratorium on future size of businesses coming to Palmer, at least until the comprehensive plan is redone - currently in progress and expected to be completed in September. This could be done immediately.

The city needs to hear from its citizens and quickly. Call, write, e-mail, but especially show up at the council meetings, second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, 7 p.m., and let them know how you feel.

As I understand it, they have heard very few negative comments. And maybe that's the way you all feel. Personally, Cheri and I think having a Wal-Mart will have a large negative effect on downtown merchants and the destination city Palmer has become.

We would hate to lose that small-town feel of our beloved Palmer. It's only 10 miles to the Wasilla Wal-Mart and we would not like to see one any closer. It should not be, "Come to Palmer to see Wal-Mart!" It should be, "Come to Palmer to see the majestic mountains, the water tower, the cute shops and the historical town!"

Palmer's slogan says it all - "Alaska at its Best!"

Jim Cooper is the former mayor of Palmer.