Two groups opposing Walmart Neighborhood Market zoning case in Fort Worth

The South Hemphill Heights Neighborhood Association and Hemphill Corridor Task Force are opposing  a proposed zoning change that would allow a Walmart Neighborhood Market at West Berry Street and Hemphill, arguing Walmart’s design doesn’t conform to the city’s Hemphill/Berry urban village plan.

In a letter to the city’s Zoning Commission, Fernando Florez, president of the South Hemphill association and chair of the Task Force,  said the building’s windows wouldn’t cover enough of its exterior area and would be too high above ground. The urban village plan calls for substantial window area to create a strong link between the street and activity inside buildings.

The Walmart Neighborhood Market would be on a site at the southwest corner of Berry and Hemphill currently occupied by a community building owned by the Travis Avenue Baptist Church. Here's the Star-Telegram's original story on the zoning case.

“I want to state up front that Travis Avenue Baptist Church has been a great neighbor and people want a Walmart Store, but after careful study and consultation with members of these two groups there is unanimous agreement that we simply cannot support this zoning change as it now stands,” Florez said in his letter to the Zoning Commission, dated today.

“The waivers to the present MU-1 zoning, if approved as requested...will result in us not attaining the vision and main concept of the Urban Village Master Plan.” One such waiver would reduce the window coverage area on the Hemphill side of the building.

Florez acknowledged Walmart has made some changes, including changing from faux glass on the Hemphill side of the building to real, but the company’s plan on the whole “would kill the whole urban village concept,” Florez said.

“I want to say to Walmart that the door is still open,” Florez said.

- Scott Nishimura

Comments

[Don't Bother]

No reason to even argue this. WalMart will get its way. Look at Riverside. How many businesses have closed because of WalMart, several. The bottom line is the city is ONLY concerned about making money and impressing big business, not what citizens want. Don't even waste your time trying to fight it, you will loose.

["The" OSU]

Why have a plan if it isn't going to be enforced? Walmart can EASILY comply with the requirements of the plan, they just don't want to... If they aren't willing to follow the rules now, before they even get permission to build their store, then the only limit to what rules they will refuse to follow AFTER their store is built is, whatever they can get away with that will increase their profits. The city better realize, if you don't get their compliance now, you never will!

[Roger Alvarado]

No one seemed to complain when Safeway occupied that location for many years until they pulled out of Texas in the Eighties.. I welcome it and I believe they will comply. I am willing to bet that those who are against it will find themselves shopping there. Hemphill St. could use some revitalization in the area and this will help. Not to mention adding jobs that some people claim are not being created....Some of you people need to get a grip as well as a life.

[TINA]

WALMART WOULD BE GREAT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD I LIVE IN THE AREA BRING MORE WORK TO THE AREA.

[Robert]

Windows (zoning laws?) not frequent or large enough? In that neighborhood, all of the windows have bars covering them!
And, if the Walmart were ever given the go-ahead for opening a store, I would hope (for their sake) that they close every evening, when the Sun goes down.

[K. M.]

That's just what that neighborhood needs -- more Wal-Mart Chinese-made junk.

[Cynthia]

A Walmart Neighborhood Store in that spot would be great for the community. I live 2 minutes from there, but have to drive over 15 to get to the nearest neighborhood store. People this is not a regular Walmart, it's only the grocery side! Get a grip! GEEZ!

[FVD]

URBAN VILLAGE PLAN? Based on what anyone can see in that area that plan is already dead, if it ever existed outside of the mind of some self-serving "community organizer". What other businesses are wanting in that area? Wal-Mart is taking a chance on that area and will make affordable groceries conveniently available to people who usually just shop at gas stations or drive way outside their neighborhood. If it's successful it will probably attract other businesses. It has to be a big company to take the first step because if it doesn't work they don't go out of business; they just close. Small business owners can't afford to take the chance.

[Mr Ted]

this is a test

[Paul Sinclair]

Let me see if I've got this right. The FWST is reporting that Mr. Florez stated in his letter to the zoning commission that the Hemphill Corridor task force believes unanimously that the zoning commission should NOT approve Wal-Mart's plan. Yet Mr. Bonilla spoke at the Jan 11th zoning commission meeting in favor of approval after introducing himself as a voting member of the task force. This discrepancy should lead to further questions, since it obviously doesn't add up, unless a formal vote wasn't really taken, or it was, but Mr. Bonilla wasn't present to cast his vote, or he did, but changed his mind. Let's get the story right.