Broulim’s bid to build Victor location
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VICTOR — The Victor Planning Commission held a first meeting to consider altering zoning to allow Broulim’s to build a grocery store just north of town.
The location, 7895 S. Highway 33 and 382 N. Agate, consists of a combination of residential and commercial corridor parcels.
“We have asked for a zoning change on the property,” said Mark Oswald, VP of Broulim’s in Rigby, Idaho. “As a grocery store operator, we find it is necessary to provide a place where people are able to park and enter in and carry out their groceries.”
Oswald said building the store within the existing zoning regulations would require the store to be built right up against the highway area.
“We have a hard time doing that as a grocery store,” he said. “We need a trash receptacle, pallets, a place for vendors to come and drop product—we try to keep that a little less in the public eye.”
The location’s proposed design includes three buildings: A 20,000 square foot store, with additional retail space for other vendors. Under the re-zone, front yard parking would be allowed off the highway.
“We tried to design the site so there is opportunity,” Oswald said. “I have seen some that have worked more sideways… there have been a few that have stayed in business and many that haven’t.”
“It would be difficult with the narrow nature of those commercial corridor lots to provide a commercial product in there,” said City Planner Jason Boal. “Because of the lack of depth to provide parking and buildings.”
Boal was careful not to leave the commission with a specific recommendation, instead explaining the pro’s and con’s for each scenario.
“Ultimately it is your decision to make,” he said, clarifying that the Commission would be submitting a recommendation to the Victor City Council to ultimately decide.
Members of the public that spoke on the project were uniformly in opposition to its current form.
“Through the Envision Victor process I think something that became very clear is that the community desired a strong, walkable community with a small town feel,” said Sean Hill, executive director of Valley Advocates for Responsible Development (VARD). Hill shared designs from other grocery stores in Hailey, Ketchum and Jackson Hole.
“This nut has been cracked by other communities,” Hill said. “If you think the existing commercial corridor zoning is consistent with the desired community character, I think you can still make a grocery store work. In fact, I think you can make it work better.”
“We fought hard to focus the development in the downtown,” said Fletcher White, a Victor resident. “I don’t think we even need a grocery story on main street. If people shop for groceries, they go and find it.”
“If you think this kind of zone change is necessary, I would do it in the larger context of the plan for Victor versus a specific developer’s request,” said Kathy Spitzer, speaking as a resident of Victor. “I think it changes the character of Victor.”
“It seems very early to be testing the waters on the new and improved form-based code,” said County Commissioner Cindy Riegel, speaking as a resident. “I really feel strongly that you need to buffer those lower density residential zones like the one on Aspen Drive from heavy commercial. This is really going to impact that neighborhood.”
“We just adopted the code in a kind of ‘get it done’ fashion,” said Commissioner Mike O’Neill. “We are still working on the conflicts… we do however want to avoid the appearance of strips and parking dominating the side of the highway.”
“I don’t think it is any mystery that folks have been saying for years that Victor needs a full size grocery store,” said Victor Mayor Jeff Potter. “If Broulim’s are the first ones to pursue doing it, then that they see the opportunity is a credit to them.”
“I agree this is not a discussion about whether you want a grocery store or not,” said Riegel.
Potter saw the move as a sign that Victor was ready for more growth.
“I think it is a credit to the planning work that has been going on the last 6-8 years all the way back to the county comprehensive plan. All of that planning work has led to an environment where a lot of the growth is going to be concentrated in the cities and all of that planning also gives the high caliber developer types confidence in our community to pursue those kinds of investments. That’s a good sign all around.”
The Commission voted 3-1 to table the decision about a zoning recommendation pending more community feedback.
This article was originally published in the Teton Valley News. It is used here with permission.