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Despite overwhelming support from the community, Meijer decision-makers have decided to withdraw plans to build a store in Warsaw at this time, according to a letter from attorney Stephen Snyder.
Meijer Inc. went to the expense of hiring a telemarketing survey firm, TDM Marketing, to question residents in the area about the proposed store.
Snyder has represented Meijer's concerns since last year when the Michigan-based retail company first approached Warsaw about building a store.
Requests to rezone 41.65 acres to C-5/special commercial at 900 Husky Trail failed to pass the city council in June.
Council members Mayor Ernie Wiggins, Jerry Patterson, Joe Thallemer, Trish Brown, Jeff Grose, Charlie Smith, Paul Siebenmorgen and Bill Rhoades denied the rezoning as recommended by the city's plan commission.
Council members were not convinced Meijer would benefit the whole community.
The company then considered plans to build on 19 acres already zoned C-5 at the same location. In that case the company would review site plans with the plan commission only.
The new petition would have requested rezoning of the two residential tracts to C-3, allowing the entire 41-acre tract to be used for the Meijer store and related businesses. The store would have been larger, 190,000 square feet, with fewer and smaller outlots.
"Additional costs of road construction, possibly on both sides of U.S. 30, the expanded buffer requirements and the reduction in size and number of outlots have made the economic viability of the project questionable, at best." Snyder's communication states.
