Planners and the public piled on.
One hundred against one in the crowd. And 7-0 from the Planning Commission dais.
But if Wal-Mart thinks Wednesday's public rebuke was a low point, it better get ready to duck again. Early signs suggest the Salt Lake City Council also will reject a rezoning request - meaning no new supercenter at 2705 E. Parleys Way.
"We're counting votes, and I think we're there," Councilman Soren Simonsen said Thursday, predicting the council will put its negative stamp on the project in November or December.
If he's right, Wal-Mart will be forced next year to remodel the 40-year-old Kmart build ing, perhaps without a grocery, which city officials hope will be sufficiently "green."
Four votes would quash a zoning change and three coun cilmen already appear firmly opposed.
Councilman Luke Garrott insists it will be tough for council members in progressive districts such as the Ave nues or Harvard-Yale to vote for a new Wal-Mart.
"I couldn't sleep at night nor could I get re-elected if I supported this," Garrott said. "I hope there's that sensitivity from other council members. I just don't see how this thing's going to fly with this council." But Councilman Eric Jer gensen, who represents the Avenues, has other ideas. "That building is old," he said, "and to me needs to be taken down."
Commissioners issued a unanimous denial Wednes day, citing Wal-Mart's apparent lack of interest in incor porating enough "green" design.
One member, Robert For bis, grilled the retailer about xeriscaping, adding solar ele ments and achieving silver status of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
"Where are the suits from Arkansas?" he demanded.
Wal-Mart spokeswoman Karianne Fallow said super centers are built to the minimum LEED level, but lack cer tification because the com pany refuses to pay the associated fees. Any other de sign changes, she added, would have to be approved by the corporate headquarters.
Simonsen argues that noth ing proposed for a new super center couldn't be done for a comparable cost in the exist ing Kmart. "Anybody that says otherwise is trying to pull the wool over somebody's eyes."
At least one commissioner is convinced a zoning change would plague surrounding properties. "The fact is, it's not going to be there forever," Kathy Scott told the Wal-Mart team. "We have to face the is sue: What then?"
This week's vote marked the first disconnect with Mayor Ralph Becker's new planning director and economic-development czar, who recommended granting the rezone.
But overall planning boss Frank Gray dismisses any rift. "This isn't a win-lose," he said. "This is advice." He said the dialogue was constructive, noting public input won the day.
"It's exactly how the public process should work."
Commission chairman Matthew Wirthlin agreed. "Who else can better speak to compatibility than the neigh bors who live in the neighbor hood?"
Fallow says the retailer now will work "aggressively" to rally supporters before the City Council. But it may be for naught.
"You can put a little lipstick on it," Simonsen said, "but it's essentially the same bad de velopment pattern."
Garrott concurred. "Since Wal-Mart is doing their basic template and not willing to work with us," he said, "that doesn't look good for Wal-Mart."
