Super Target Goes South

By: Mr. Wilson on March 31, 2006
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Super Target wants to build at 40th and Yankee Hill Road. Will Mayor Seng have problems with this proposal like she did with the 84th and Adams Wal-Mart? Lincoln awaits. In the mean time, here are some reasons Mayor Seng might veto the plan:
  • The 174,000 square foot Super Target -- twice the size of the current largest big box retailer in a "neighborhood center" (Shopko at 27th and Highway 2) -- consumers 77.6% of the project's 224,000 square feet. Mayor Seng established an arbitrary range of 52 to 72 percent for such stores during the Wal-Mart debate. Based on her own criteria, Mayor Seng must say no to this project.
  • The Lincoln-Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan says: "Neighborhood Centers should generally not develop at corners of intersections of two arterial streets due to limited pedestrian accessibility and impact on the intersection" (page F47). Based on that criteria, Mayor Seng should say no to this project.
  • The Lincoln-Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan says: "Commerce Centers should generally contain a mix of land uses, including residential uses. Higher density residential uses should be included in and/or adjacent to all commercial centers. Single use centers are discouraged – for example, office parks should include a supporting retail component, while shopping centers should include an applicable amount of office uses" (page F41). Based on that criteria, Mayor Seng should say no to this project.
  • The Lincoln-Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan says: "Centers should contain a mix of residential, office, service and retail uses." (page F42). Based on that criteria, Mayor Seng should say no to this project.
There isn't enough information about the project available to go much further than that. I should note that although I cited the Lincoln-Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan a few times above, don't give those points too much weight. Not because the Comprehensive Plan shouldn't be taken seriously, but because the City has never taken the plan all that seriously. The Plan is frequently amended on an ad hoc basis or ignored altogether, and there is no reason to think this situation will be any different. What do you think, folks? Will Mayor Seng pull out the red veto pen to keep away the unwelcome pest of economic development? (Just to be clear, I'm not necessarily against this development. I think it's a goofy location for a Super Target, but hey, a Super Target will do well anywhere in town.)

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