CERES -- With a vote of 3-1, the Ceres Planning Commission approved Wal-Mart’s plan to move from its current location at Mitchell and Hatch roads to a newly built Wal-Mart Supercenter at Mitchell and Service Roads.
Commissioner Mike Kline voted against the project.
In February, the commission delayed approval of the project and asked city staff to provide more information about the possibility of reconfiguring the design of the 300,000-square-foot Mitchell Ranch Center, anchored by Wal-Mart and surrounded by other undetermined stores like chain restaurants and coffee shops.
Staff provided the commission with answers to their questions but suggested few changes to Wal-Mart’s original proposal.
Staff amended the draft resolution to require that Wal-Mart’s sales strategy plan be approved by the City Council before a building permit is issued, instead of when Wal-Mart gets a certificate of occupancy and is ready to move in.
Planning and Building Division Manager Tom Westbrook said this will require Wal-Mart to find a buyer for the existing store about a year sooner, but still precludes competitors like Target or Winco from buying the property at Mitchell and Hatch Road.
Staff made two other small changes to the draft resolution; prohibiting trucks from parking on Don Pedro Road and requiring 24-hour security as a condition of Wal-Mart’s final certification of occupancy.
The vote initiated a 10-day countdown for opponents to appeal the project before April 14. If an appeal is made the plan will go before the city council.
We'll have more on this story later today.
RSS
E-Mail
Print
reprint or license
