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Bloomington panel rejects proposal for $40 million SuperTarget

Hundreds of city residents turned out to object to the project planned for an already busy city intersection.

By HERÓN MÁRQUEZ ESTRADA, Star Tribune

Last update: July 25, 2008 - 12:00 AM

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A proposed $40 million SuperTarget store in west Bloomington was shot down by the city's planning commission Thursday night after hundreds of people protested against the project.

The decision came after more than four hours of testimony from about 100 residents who were part of an overflow crowd of more than 400 at a theater in City Hall.

The project will now be taken up by the City Council on Aug. 18, at which time the council can allow the denial to stand, vote to overturn it or order more study.

Among the crowd was Jana Brown, wearing a white T-shirt that made it quite clear where she stood on allowing the store to be built near her home:

"No-Re-Zoning," blared the message on the shirts worn by Brown and dozens of other members of the recently formed Southwest Bloomington Accidental Activists.

"We're really concerned about the traffic," said Brown, who was among those who showed up Thursday night.

The Target Corp. asked the commission to recommend rezoning 22 acres for a 179,000-square-foot SuperTarget grocery-department store at Normandale Boulevard and Old Shakopee Road.

The proposed project has generated fierce opposition in the city, with more than 1,100 people contacting City Hall to voice objections. About 100 have said they are in favor.

Among those asking that the project be rejected are two city departments -- planning and traffic. Both expressed concerns that the development would disrupt traffic and harm property values and the industrial base in the area.

"It's not a Target issue," said Londell Pease, the Bloomington city planner who presented the case against the project. "It's just that it is not an appropriate land use."

Traffic at the Normandale-Old Shakopee intersection already moves slowly at rush hour; the city's traffic analysis said putting retail at that corner would create more delays, especially in the evening.

The company considers the site a prime location, in part because many people now drive past it to get to nearby Target stores in Eden Prairie, Edina and Bloomington.

"This can be a community center that the community can be proud of," said Jaci Bell, a Target development manager who has met with hundreds of residents at a series of in-home meetings. "Traffic is an issue but one we think is solvable."

Large crowd

City engineers issued a report this month opposing the rezoning because of traffic concerns. The city's Planning Department also has said the project is "not in Bloomington's best interests" because it conflicts with Bloomington's Comprehensive Plan.

The department also said in a report that rezoning the land for Target would weaken two nearby retail areas that already have vacant space and would remove industrial property that strengthens and diversifies the city economy.

An hour before Thursday night's hearing, more than 100 people started to sign up to comment, a vast majority of them wanting to stop the project, which would also include restaurants and other retail outlets.

Pease, the city planner, said the 1,100 comments he received against the project focused on concerns about traffic, increased crime, decreasing property values, inappropriate use and strain on existing stores.

"Why do we need another Target?" said DeEtta Marconett. "Why do we need another store to compete with stores that are already struggling?"

Pease said competitive balance is also of concern to city planners who worry that urban blight will result as already struggling shopping centers will suffer or close.

"This would put pressure on struggling centers," Pease said. "If this goes through, we could see more vacancies at those other centers."

Last week, Target spokeswoman Amy Spencer said the company does not see its project as a problem for other retailers.

"We don't believe that Target being in that spot would be a significant threat to other retail," Spencer said. "We think it will be healthy competition that is good for the area."

In an effort to get the zoning change approved, the company offered to pay for "significant" road and intersection improvements, build the store with environmentally friendly standards and also have parking for 1,320 vehicles.

"This would all be done on our dollar," Bell said. "We have heard from a silent majority who think this is a great opportunity."

Heron Marquez Estrada • 612-673-4280

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