Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Walmart Adds Store To Farmington
NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET TO ADD UP TO 95 JOBS
FARMINGTON — Walmart plans to build a new store at the corner of Main Street and Grace Lane, across from Farmington City Hall.
CEI Commercial Development submitted plans for a 32,849-squarefoot Neighborhood Market to Farmington City Hall last week. The large scale development plan will go before the Technical Review Committee on Dec. 3 and then to the Farmington Planning Commission on Dec. 23.
The new store will create up to 95 jobs and is scheduled to open in the fall of 2014, according to a news release issued by Walmart.
“Walmart is excited for another opportunity to continue to expand our service to the people of Farmington and Northwest Arkansas,” said Brian Hooper, Walmart vice president for real estate, in the news release.
Mayor Ernie Penn, who announced several weeks ago that a new business was coming to Farmington, also said he is excited about a Neighborhood Market in Farmington.
“We’re excited about Walmart coming to our community,” Mayor Ernie Penn said last week. “We’re excited about the economic difference this will make in our community.”
Penn said he also believes that one of the impacts from Walmart will be that other commercial development will follow.
Jodi Hendricks, president of the Farmington Area Chamber of Commerce, said the new Walmart store will be a “great” addition for Farmington residents.
“It’s exciting in some respects but I’m also worried about the impact on smaller businesses,” Hendricks said. “If we can continue to shop locally, we will be able to support our businesses.”
The Farmington Neighborhood Market will feature a variety of products, according to the news release. These include fresh produce, meats and dairy products, frozen foods, dry goods and staples, a pharmacy with drive-thru, deli foods, canned and packaged goods, condiments and spices, pet supplies and household supplies.
Along with the large scale development plan, Walmart is asking the city to approve a lot split for the property and a variance to the requirements in the city’s landscape ordinance.
The Walmart parcel is 6.16 acres in size and Walmart is asking that its parcel be split from the rest of the property in this area. The land currently is owned by Oakland Farms LLC.
Melissa McCarville, city business manager, said the lot split would not require action from the planning commission but could be approved administratively. A vacant lot will exist between the new Neighborhood Market and Casey’s General Store, under construction at the corner of Angus Lane and Main Street.
The site plans show that the store will have two main entrances, one off Grace Lane and another on Main Street, directly across from the entrance into City Hall. The store will have 132 total parking spaces, which include 126 standard spaces, six accessible spaces and six cart corrals.
The city’s landscaping ordinance would require Walmart to provide 73 trees and 597 shrubs. Walmart is requesting a variance to be allowed to have 71 trees and 158 shrubs. The Farmington City Council approved a landscape ordinance July 8 and Walmart is the first commercial development required to submit a landscape plan and meet the requirements in the ordinance.
Erica Jones, senior manager of communication with Walmart, said Farmington will have one of the smaller prototypes for Neighborhood Market stores. Most have an average size of 40,000 square feet, she said.
“It’s all a matter of looking at the community and the community needs,” Jones said. “We tailor the store to what the community can support.”
Jones said Walmart has looked at the need for a traffic light at Grace Lane and will make a decision on whether to request one after the store opens next fall.