Surprise, surprise!!!
All the talk about bringing retail to the city and how important that is
– City had no qualms about big box retailers like Sears, Target, Home
Depot, Lowes, Tom Thumb, Kroger, and Burlington Coat Factory.
But mention Walmart, (which is closing their store in the
Promenade, and which location garnered no objections from Council when it
opened years ago) and their interest in a store at Campbell and 75, and
Bingo!!!! All of a sudden, an
undiscussed amendment to the large retail ordinance is passed 7-0.
Hardly equal treatment.
Bottom line appears to be Walmart is not “upscale enough” for those that
live in the neighborhood adjacent to Campbell/75.
Key point there, "an undiscussed amendment". If you notice, all of the discussions are undiscussed in public. The discussions are always behind closed doors with this council. When Dunn nominated Townsend for mayor pro tem before Maczka even finished her remarks set the tone for this council: No public discussions needed.
ReplyDeleteThat is one more step away from the TOMA, but as Murphy says, if you don't like it, sue us.
ReplyDeleteThis council is more pathetic than the prior grey hairs.
Gottal love those public servant outlaws and their roving quorums. It's what scumbags bring to the table. Yea, all it takes is the agreement of a couple of Council members to get anything on the agenda, or so the new skirt would say. They are certaily a slippery bunch. A veritable poster child of corruption in government.
ReplyDeleteSM, you are a strange bird. Really destranged.
Delete8:28, 7:20, 6:09; Really?!?! I'm sure none of you were AO supporters then as he was playing the Anti-Walmart card pretty hard in the neighborhood to the North of Campbell. Whether you were supporter of AO or LM.....doesn't really matter...it is political suicide to support a Walmart there. The only that would be worse is garden style apartments.
ReplyDeleteOr that failed attempt of a master development, complete with new home for the Chamber of Commerce!
DeleteAO would likely have been actually involved with forging a path using real leadership skills. As it is, we have a spineless, tumbler of a bubbly cheerleader running around in a short skirt. She is a push over when it comes to public policy dictated by the regime.
Remember the Jupiter / Arapaho Wal*Mart Super Center plans from some years back. Council and City Staff were THRILLED to welcome Wal*Mart to that location ... but the neighborhoods (Duck Creek and others) rose up and said 'Wait just a darn minute ...' And instead of a (probably empty-by-now) Wal*Mart was built an Apt/ Duplex/ light retail development that is a great neighbor. But wait.. If this happens on the West Side of Richardson (aka "The Real Richardson") it took the City no time at all to push an ordinance to protect it's (important) citizens.
ReplyDeleteThe Block isn't such a great neighbor. It was billed as mixed-use. So far, there's no mix to the use. It's all apartments. The retail lower floors have been a ghost town from day one. Somebody didn't do their homework on that deal. There's no retail tax revenue there, in spite of the grandios plan.
DeleteI live in the Duck Creek neighborhood - in my opinion, they are a great neighbor. Compared to Wal*Mart, they are WONDERFUL neighbors. And to Anon (below) who says this is not an apt comparison, well, it's comparing City of Richardson attitude toward Wal*Mart. I don't know how that's not something that makes sense to mention.
DeleteThe Arapaho and Jupiter thing was 12 or so years ago. Comparing it to this is not apt. This change applies to all big boxes. Some other cities have similar requirements so there is nothing odd here about the requirement itself.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that the frequent lack of deliberation on this council and the most recent past one is disturbing. There is almost no way they are getting to conclusions without violating the open meetings act or they are simply voting up without thought or discussion which is just as bad.
Only weak-minded go-alongs with no imagination compare their success to the lack of utter failure on the part of others.
DeleteThat's leadership Richardson style.