I have three points to make:
I. Why does Douglas County need a second Walmart?
A. Carrying capacity for Walmart
1) It is said that Walmart needs a population of 500,000 to make its stores a financial success;
2) There is already a Walmart in north Douglas County, for which the county commissioners gave redevelopment status for 15-20 years;
3) Douglas County has a population of less than 60,000. Even with the added numbers from South Lake Tahoe, Smith Valley, and the small towns in California south of Topaz Lake, the total population does not add up to 500,000.
B. There is also a new super Walmart in north Carson City, the county north of Douglas County.
1) Walmart closed one store in south Carson City and opened another, leaving the large closed store standing empty, looking like a dead ghost elephant on the corner of that shopping center lot;
2) The history of Walmart is said to be that it goes into one area with the promise of a tax-free period and other incentives, and that after a five-year period, it will close that store and open another, just a few miles away, and start all over again with another period of tax-free incentives; with no responsibility for the empty hulk left standing;
3) Will Walmart close the super Walmart in north Douglas County empty after it opens a new store in south Douglas County, leaving another gaping hole in that shopping center?
C. Will the Douglas County commissioners and the town board officers continue to give away the store to these commercial enterprises and give them incentives and pay all the costs of capital improvements and allow the citizens of Douglas County to pay for these foolish endeavors? Or will our elected representatives wake up and make these commercial adventurers pay their way for the privilege of doing business in Douglas County rather than making the taxpayers pay all the costs for these commercial enterprise extravagances?
Answer: Douglas County does not need, nor can it support, a second Walmart. It will end up holding the bag once again, at the expense of the taxpayers, who are against this obviously bad deal. A second Walmart placed in south Gardnerville will put most of the small businesses on Main Street out of business. Protect your own!
II. The proposed, so-called "improved" architectural "enhancements" of the proposed Walmart for south Gardnerville is ugly and does not satisfy the requirement for development in the Virginia Ranch area as stated in the Douglas County Master Plan.
A. The Walmart architect, Michael Quattrone, made a few garish changes to the notoriously ugly box architecture of standard Walmart. By his dancing around he must have thought that he was going to bowl over the citizens of Gardnerville and the Town Board members. It was not convincing. Mr. Quattrone must think that residents of Douglas County are a bunch of country rubes. Let him know that more than 90 percent of the population had their working careers mostly in California, and a few from cities on the East Coast and Midwest. We were not impressed with his presentation and find his so-called architectural changes obnoxious and unacceptable.
B. If Walmart can't be stopped from building a second and unneeded store in Douglas County, and then the architecture should be required to fit into the ranch style of Virginia Ranch area. It should be rustic and not boxy, and there should be at least one outdoor covered sitting area, walking and biking areas, and nearby eating shops. The majority population of Douglas County is now retired, and needs sitting areas and shady areas in which to sit and relax and meet their neighbors. Children need a place to play, use their skateboards, and have a soft drink. One outdoor fountain for the children to play in would be great. In other words, the Walmart design should meet our needs and the regulations stated in the Master Plan for the Virginia Ranch area; not make us twist ourselves inside out to meet Walmart's minimal standards. We hope that the Native American citizens of Douglas County will stand with us on this issue. The original plan calls for a village-like, pedestrian-themed commercial space to preserve the small town atmosphere. Les Schwab Tires store should maintain an access and egress from Highway 395. Walmart should not be allowed to force them out of business. It would not hurt Walmart to learn to build people friendly, attractive buildings and areas, and to work in good faith with the needs of local businesses.
Town Board of Gardnerville, Planning Commission and Douglas County Commissioners, protect your own. If Walmart threatens a lawsuit, take them on. Protect your own.
III. I hereby request that a legitimate environmental impact statement by the U.S. Department of the Interior be mandated and produced before any further planning goes on. The basis of this request is that the area that Walmart plans to build on may be a wetland, and all wetlands are protected by U.S. Law.
A. The plan speaks of closing off a drainage area and moving it from one place to another place; of moving a drainage pond from one place to another.
B. If there is that much water there, it is either a flood plain or a wetland. Wetlands cannot be moved or filled in. They are protected by environmental law.
Town Board of Gardnerville, planning commission and Douglas county commissioners, buck up and protect your own. Protect Douglas County citizen taxpayers and small businesses. Protect your own! Maintain the semi-rural quality of living in Douglas County and stick it to the master plan. Protect your own.
Jane Foraker-Thompson is a Gardnerville resident
