Walmart Supercenter gaining ground

Despite threats of litigation and the potential for significant noise and traffic impacts, the Porterville City Council Tuesday night voted unanimously to move forward with plans to build a Walmart Supercenter in Porterville.  

The 4-0 vote (Councilman Brian Ward was not present at the meeting due to a family emergency) comes almost seven years after the project was first proposed, and paves the way for the construction of a 161,602-square-foot store in the Riverwalk Marketplace at Jaye Street and Highway 190.

“I’m elated,” Community Development Director Brad Dunlap said about the council’s vote.

Dunlap, who has worked on the project almost since its inception, said during Tuesday’s meeting that in his entire career, he has never worked on an environmental impact report that was, “this painstakingly evaluated, this scrutinized, and this thorough.”

The four-volume document, which has reportedly cost Walmart more than $500,000, describes the environmental impacts associated with the project and addresses topics ranging from air quality, to urban decay, to fire and police protection. The report also presents mitigation measures to reduce such impacts.

Tony Locacciato, who managed the report’s preparation, told the council Tuesday that the only significant and unavoidable impacts associated with the implementation of the project are noise, and traffic and circulation.

The council’s decision came after a prolonged public hearing, during which each speaker was granted three minutes to discuss the project’s Final Environmental Impact Report.   

The standing-room-only crowd exceeded the council chambers’ 124-maximum occupancy level, and was mainly composed of Walmart supporters.

Among those who spoke in favor of the project was Walter Smith, senior vice president of Grubb & Ellis, a Fresno-based brokerage firm.  

“There are no retailers interested in this project until Walmart comes in,” Smith said.

According to City Manager John Lollis, Smith, who represents developers, has in the past worked with city staff on obtaining tenants for Prospect Plaza.

Smith told the council Tuesday night that due to the absence of an anchor tenant at the shopping center, Porterville does not have retailers like JC Penney and Petco and restaurants like Red Robin.

Porterville Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Amber Bush echoed Smith’s comments. She said that a Walmart Supercenter will bring in “a host of additional retailers who are waiting for an anchor.” Councilman Greg Shelton was the first to express his view.

“There’s some councilmen who think they get put up here so people can recognize how smart they are and because they know what’s good for people,” Shelton said. “I don’t believe that. I don’t like it when people tell me that I can’t ride a motorcycle without a helmet and that I can’t eat certain fried foods — I like my trans fat. I’ve polled a lot of people and I think I’m just an instrument for what my public wants and my public sounds like they want a Super Walmart.”

Shelton’s comments drew applause from the audience.

But not from Porterville residents Brock Neeley and John Coffee, who were the only two to express open opposition toward the project Tuesday night.

The pair, along with the California Healthy Communities Network, presented the city’s planning staff with a 79-page letter the night before Tuesday’s meeting, outlining the reasons why the final EIR fails as an informational document.

Councilman Cameron Hamilton referred to the letter as “a stall tactic.”

“It wouldn’t be necessary if the consultants and the city would’ve done a full, complete study the way it should have been done in the first place,” Neeley said later about Hamilton’s remark.

“I would imagine this is probably going to court.”

Lollis said there is a 45-day window during which the council’s determination can be legally challenged.

“The clock is now ticking,” Lollis said. “We anticipate the matter being taken to superior court, filed there, and eventually having the matter heard by a CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) judge.”

Dunlap said that if the project withstands any legal challenges, he thinks there’s a possibility a new Porterville Walmart Supercenter could be under construction in a couple of months.

Amelia McLear, senior manager of public affairs for Walmart in Central California, said Wednesday that the project timeline is dependent on obtaining a permit from the state Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and a building permit from the city.

“I can tell you that construction for a new store typically takes 12 months, from when the shovel hits dirt to when the doors open. We hope to move forward with this project as quickly as possible,” McLear said.

Contact Denise Madrid at 784-5000, ext. 1047 or dmadrid@portervillerecorder.com. Follow her on Twitter @DeniseMadrid_