Wal-Mart — archive — Progressive Cheverly

SUPPORT COMMUNITY STANDARDS FOR WAL-MART

Capital Plaza has the opportunity to bring much-needed shopping into our community. The Nellis Corporation, the developer of Capital Plaza, has signed a lease with Wal-Mart Corporation. In fact, Wal-Mart has the building permits in hand to begin construction.

Progressive Cheverly, along with neighboring communities and civic associations, are asking Wal-Mart and the Nellis Corporation to be good corporate neighbors by complying with basic community standards. Below is our statement on Community Standards. We are currently working with Cheverly's Town Council to pass a resolution to endorse many of the points stated below.

COMMUNITY STANDARDS

August 14, 2005

We welcome and support development in our community. A Big Box Retailer, defined as a store that exceeds 75,000 square feet, puts particular strain on its location and its surrounding community. In keeping with, and inspired by, efforts to promote livable communities within our County, we propose that big box retailers, and where appropriate their development partners, in our community, including Capital Plaza, contractually meet certain minimum community standards. While we are responding to the pending development at Capital Plaza, we believe that these community standards should apply to all big box retailers across the County. In a few instances we have provided some additional refinement to these requirements as they relate to Capital Plaza.

Employment
1. Pay a living wage to all employees

i. Tie minimum compensation to the Prince George’s County Living Wage Ordinance.

1. Provide affordable health care for all employees

i. Provide the greater of 8% of wages towards healthcare benefits or Benefits supplement rate of at least $3.00/hour paid either as benefits or additional wages.

1. Ensure that local residents that are qualified get priority in hiring.
2. Employer shall be in full compliance with all laws and rights as it relates to union organizing and representation.
Merchandise
1. In the form of a permanent ban:

i. No grocery sales within any big box store unless the employment standards listed in item #1 are adhered to.

ii. No guns or ammunition for sale.

iii. No liquor for sale. Our neighborhood is already saturated with liquor sales with at least 3 liquor stores within a mile of Capital Plaza.

1. Careful evaluation of the impact of another grocery store at Capital Plaza on existing grocery stores and the local shopping centers they anchor. A study done for the Port Towns Community Development Corporation identified an existing surplus of grocery capacity in the Port Towns communities that would be directly impacted by another large grocery store in the area.
Reduce the negative impact on local businesses
1. Provide reasonably priced lease space within the redeveloped Capital Plaza to local small businesses.
Site and Building Design
1. Size Limitation

i. Store Square Footage limited to 125,000 Square Feet.

ii. No breaking up store into separate buildings to circumvent size limitations.

1. Environmental

i. Follow green building design standards including reduction of building footprint and more green space

ii. LEED Certified Green Building

iii. Maryland Park and Planning requirements

1. No visual pollution

i. Specifically no free standing signage

1. Traffic

i. Minimum of 50% of cost of county/state/federal road improvements responsibility of developer.

ii. Assessments by National Park Service on Baltimore Washington Parkway and Prince George’s County on Route 450 on impact and required improvements to accommodate increased traffic

iii. It is particularly important to ensure that given the location of Capital Plaza that traffic issues and appropriate design & placement of walkways are addressed to ensure maximum safety for both drivers and pedestrians. .

1. Parking

i. Study underground parking feasibility as has been done at Ikea in College Park in order to help reduce building footprint.

1. Public Safety

i. Provide sufficient lighting

ii. Provide parking lot security

iii. Provide appropriate fencing and other barriers to protect the immediate neighborhood.

1. Maintenance

i. Owner to provide daily exterior cleaning and maintenance.

Operations
1. Limit store hours

i. The community does not want a 24-hour store that will contribute to security problems and increase issues related to crime.

Any publicly-provided subsidies, set-asides or tax benefits to big box retailers (either directly or indirectly to the retail site property owners) must be fully justified and accompanied by guarantees of reimbursement in the event of early abandonment of the site by the retailer.
Community space
1. Ensure that a revitalized Capital Plaza provides quality space for ongoing civic uses, such as meeting space for community groups.

It is our intent to work with our legislators, site owners, developers and big box retailers to reduce the above-mentioned categories and specific standards to contractual and legislative agreements in furtherance of enhancing our “Livable Community”. We look forward to working with you.

Endorsed by:

Port Towns Community Development Corporation
Greater Landover Knolls Civic Association
Town of Colmar Manor Mayor and Council
Town of Bladensburg Mayor and Council
Town of Edmonston Mayor and Council
Progressive Cheverly

Last modified: 05/18/13

August 19, 2006: As you know, the Cheverly Town Council, once again, considered their Wal-Mart resolution at their August 11th Town Council Meeting. Progressive Cheverly members have consistently come to both Town Council and work session meetings and last Thursday was no exception. Unfortunately, the Town Council chose, once again, not to take any action. The Council has submitted a number of questions to Wal-Mart and has resisted acting on the resolution until Wal-Mart has responded. My sense is that some of the Town Council members have taken the view that any action by Cheverly on a resolution weakens their ability to negotiate with Wal-Mart to achieve the goals the Council is most interested in. (click to view the proposed resolution) To their credit, the Mayor and Town Council has taken various steps to help ensure that the ultimate design of the Wal-Mart store is not the classic warehouse box store but something more aesthetically pleasing.

My understanding is that Wal-Mart will be on the agenda for the Town Council's work session on August 25th but that there will be no votes. It is always useful for Progressive Cheverly to be present when this issue is being discussed. While not essential, I would encourage any of our members to go to these meetings, especially if they have never attended previously. I will not be there since I will be on vacation.

Additionally, as many of you know, Progressive Cheverly has been working over the past four months with a number of municipalities, elected officials, community development organizations, civic associations, and citizens who reside close to Capital Plaza to address the need for community standards for large retail stores that are planning to move into our community. The Coalition considered the community standards proposed by Progressive Cheverly and made a number of changes. The final document, which is posted on the Progressive Cheverly web site, has been formally endorsed by the following:

Port Towns Community Development Corporation
Greater Landover Knolls Civic Association
Town of Colmar Manor Mayor and Council
Town of Bladensburg Mayor and Council
Town of Edmonston Mayor and Council
Progressive Cheverly

This statement has been forwarded to both Wal-Mart and the Nellis Corporations with the hope that a meeting will take place between Coalition representatives and officials of Wal-Mart and Nellis. Officials of the County Executive's Office and County Council Members David Harrington and Tom Hendershot have been working with the Coalition and are helping to facilitate a possible meeting with all the parties involved. Regardless ofwhat impact we are able to have on Wal-Mart and the NellisCorporations, the process of working together with surrounding communities has been a very positive one and hopefully will provide for opportunities to continue to work together on other issues in the future.

Madeleine Golde, Co-Chair

THE TOWN OF CHEVERLY PROPOSED RESOLUTION

Progressive Cheverly* has endorsed the following resolution and encourage our Town Council to approve it. The resolution was discussed at the July, 2005 Town Meeting. The proposed resolution follows the comments of Mayor Mosley.

The Mayor made the following statement prior to the Town Meeting:

Wal-Mart: For the past three televised Town Meetings, three Worksessions and one public special meeting, the Mayor and Council have been dealing with the issue of a proposed 142,000 square foot Wal-Mart store at the Capital Plaza Mall. The Nellis Corporation, the owner of the shopping Center, has signed a long-term lease with Wal-Mart, and expects that, with this anchor store committed to the project, redevelopment of the entire site will now be possible. Other than normal building permits required for any construction project, Wal-Mart does not need any special exception to build a facility at this location.

There is unanimity on the Council, and I believe in the Cheverly Community, for redevelopment of the Capital Plaza Mall. Wal-Mart is another matter however. At the Town meetings, there have been several groups and many individuals who oppose any Wal-Mart in our community because of some of their labor and business practices. There have also been many individuals who have approached Council in support of a Wal-Mart at Capital Plaza.

Below is A PROPOSED resolution, which was introduced by a 4-2 vote at the June Worksession just before this newsletter went to press. This resolution is based on several concessions or agreements that Wal-Mart representatives have made verbally to Council at our Town meetings such as no firearms or liquor sold at this location, sufficient security and lighting in the parking lots, etc. The resolution also includes issues that have been discussed with but not yet agreed to by Wal-Mart, that are equally important such as consulting with the Town on the exterior design features of the facility, giving priority to local, qualifiedapplicants in hiring, to name a few. Council feels that we need these agreements in writing before any resolution in support of the Wal-Mart could be considered. The resolution also deals with community standards issues such as livable wages and affordable health benefits that are important to our community.

Again, this is a DRAFT resolution that will be discussed and voted on at the July Town Meeting.

RESOLUTION R-01-05

OF THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL

OF CHEVERLY, MARYLAND

WHEREAS, the Town of Cheverly has consistently supported efforts for improved economic development in our broader community including committing the Town’s own resources to reverse decline and support economic revitalization; and

WHEREAS, truly vibrant communities require not only appropriate shopping and other amenities but also local employment opportunities for community residents that pay livable wages and affordable health benefits; and

WHEREAS, the security and long-term economic success of Cheverly and her neighboring communities are directly linked to the success of Capitol Plaza and the retail establishments therein; and

WHEREAS, Capitol Plaza Shopping Center has the potential to be a thriving commercial retail center for the entire region surrounding Cheverly; and

WHEREAS, the owners of Capitol Plaza have worked diligently for years to find a large retail tenant and have recently secured a lease from Wal-Mart for a large store there; and

WHEREAS, Wal-Mart has agreed that no firearms and ammunition of any kind, including hunting rifles and ammunition, will be sold at the Capitol Plaza facility; and

WHEREAS, Wal-Mart has agreed that no alcoholic beverages will be sold at the Capitol Plaza facility; and

WHEREAS, Wal-Mart has agreed that the Capitol Plaza store will not operate its business for more than 19 out of 24 hours each day; and

WHEREAS, Wal-Mart has agreed, as allowed by law, to give local, qualified residents priority in hiring; and

WHEREAS, Wal-Mart previously agreed with County officials and others that in order to protect existing food service jobs, the Capitol Plaza store will not have a grocery store component; and

WHEREAS, Wal-Mart has agreed to consult with the Town as to the exterior design features of the Capitol Plaza store and has committed to constructing a facility that will improve and enhance the community; and

WHEREAS, Wal-Mart has agreed to work with the Nellis Corporation to help bring quality dining establishments to the revitalized Capitol Plaza Shopping Center; and

WHEREAS, Wal-Mart has agreed to provide sufficient parking lot lighting and security as well as long-term daily external maintenance of the Capitol Plaza facility as well as quality space for ongoing civic uses, such as meeting space for community groups; and

WHEREAS, Wal-Mart must and will be in full compliance with all laws and rights as it relates to union organizing and representation.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and Town Council of the Town of Cheverly, Maryland in regular session assembled that the Mayor and Council, according to the above provisions, welcome and support the construction and operation of a Wal-Mart store at Capitol Plaza Shopping Center; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Mayor and Council call upon the County Executive and the County Council enact legislative safeguards to prevent lease agreements or similar measures that allow retail properties to remain vacant for extended periods of time in order to stymie competition at the expense of the local community; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Mayor and Council call upon elected State and County officials to protect the community by requiring that any publicly-provided subsidies, set-asides or tax benefits to Wal-Mart and other big box retailers be fully and publicly justified, and to assess appropriate penalties in the event of early abandonment; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Mayor and Council call upon the County Executive, County Council and our elected State representatives to take whatever actions are deemed appropriate to effect all the improvements in the County that community standards will bring including, but not limited to, legislation that would ensure livable wages and affordable healthcare benefits for retail and all workers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall take effect immediately; and that the Town Administrator will forward copies of this resolution to Cheverly’s representatives in the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, the Senate of Maryland, the Maryland House of Delegates, the Office of the Prince George’s County Executive, and the Prince George’s County Council and to relevant officials in all neighboring communities and their organizations.

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution shall be take effect immediately.

INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED by the Mayor and Town Council of the Town of Cheverly, Maryland, at a Regular Meeting on _____________________, at which meeting copies were available to the public for inspection.

Adopted:

Attest:

Mayor

Councilmember

ouncilmember

Councilmember

What Are Community Standards?

Our organization, Progressive Cheverly, has taken the position of acceding to Wal-Mart's arrival at Capital Plaza if Wal-Mart agrees to conform to a set of operating conditions that reflect the character of the neighborhoods that surround the new store. These conditions are called "Community Standards."

$800,000,000+ .

Progressive Cheverly has formulated a statement about Big Box Retailer Standards below and, as an organization, been working with neighboring jurisdictions (both town governments and civic associations) to adopt standards based on our model.

The Town of Cheverly has been working on a Resolution based upon our model, as are other towns and groups. If enough pressure is brought to bear upon Wal-Mart, Nellis Corporation (the property owner), the County government and the Planning Commission (NCPPC), we hope Wal-Mart will sign a Memorandum of Understanding that serves as a binding contract to ensure Wal-Mart's store will truly reflect the character of the surrounding communities now and in the future.

(To see proposed Town Resolution, click here.)

Progressive Cheverly's Community Standards

Adopted June 6, 2005

Employment
1. Pay a living wage to all employees