In St. Johns County, Florida, Walmart came away with only some of what it wanted for a new store, as a ruling resulted in a compromise with residents.
County planners allowed a set of oversize signs but refused the illuminated gas-price displays that drew the strongest objections from neighbors, as St. Johns Citizen reported.
What happened?
For Walmart's new World Commerce Center location, officials approved 13 wall signs with a combined area of 793.5 square feet, the publication noted. The standard limit is 200 square feet per business, so the approved total is nearly four times that amount.
However, the St. Johns County Planning and Zoning Division denied the piece of the proposal that had stirred the most debate, per the Citizen. That was the illuminated, electronically changing gas-price signs on the fuel station canopy.
Residents of the nearby Legends condominiums had urged officials to deny the variance entirely, saying the project had already created too much disruption, according to the outlet. One resident cited construction noise, dust, traffic, and bright lights.
"Everybody in a 20-mile radius already knows Walmart's there," another resident argued to the board, according to the Citizen.
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A Walmart representative responded that the roughly 180,000-square-foot store is 800 feet from International Golf Parkway and may end up less visible once other businesses are built closer to the road, the outlet said.
He also argued that the signage would guide shoppers to different parts of the store.
Why does it matter?
The disagreement was also about what more signage would do to the area. Residents were understandably concerned about adding more light and a cluttered look to an already busy corridor, according to the Citizen.
The 4-3 vote and split decision indicated that officials heard out the local community. Though Walmart secured approval for a sign package far above the normal cap, it did not get permission for the canopy display.
That sort of advertising can distract drivers and lead to frustrations around excessive signage on roadways.
What's being done?
The agency's decision took shape as an unsatisfying outcome for residents of the condominiums as well as Walmart.
As the Citizen reported, members first voted against Walmart's full request, then approved a motion that allowed the wall and monument signs.
Since the illuminated displays were the most eye-catching of the proposed signs, residents did score a victory in blocking them.
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