Representatives of Walmart returned to the Kent County Regional Planning Commission with sign proposals on Nov. 5 but expressed dissatisfaction with county recommendations against hanging two signs for the Cheswold store on poles along the road.
“Let’s not add insult to injury by making a beautiful building that no one can find,” said Dover attorney Constantine Malmberg.
RPC members have approved plans for Walmart to build a store on Simms Woods Road off Route 13 east of Cheswold, but mandated the discount retailer return to the commission for approval of their signage plans.
Walmart’s representatives said the store is still waiting on its building permits and did not give any indication of when the company is looking to begin construction on the store.
In its plans, Walmart has asked to install a sign containing the company’s name on the building, as well as erecting a secondary sign on the north side of the building and two pylon signs along the road that would direct customers to the store.
Malmberg said the signs complied with the county’s ordinances, and store representatives argued that removing the secondary sign from the building would negatively impact the store’s façade and harm Walmart’s ability to market their brand.
Sara Keifer, director of the Division of Planning Services, said the county had recommended the store forego the secondary sign and install two monument-style signs that would be lower to the ground along the road.
“We wanted to make sure there wouldn’t be a negative impact on the surrounding area,” Keifer said, noting the county could give Walmart some flexibility with landscaping around the monument signs to ensure they wouldn’t be covered by vegetation.
Because the meeting was a public hearing, the commissioners did not make any decisions on the sign proposal.
Commissioner Dave Bonar said he didn’t think “there was a Walmart that can’t be found” and noted he didn’t find pylon signs erected on poles to be offensive to the surrounding neighborhood.
Commissioner Denise Kaercher said she was “between a rock and a hard place” with either compromising the look of the building or allowing an extra sign to be placed on the store that would provide extra light to the neighborhood.
The commission will vote on the proposal at its Nov. 12 meeting.
In other business:
Commissioners tabled a public hearing on a 201-lot subdivision that would be located on a 150-acre parcel north of Dover. Several commissioners said they wanted the developer to meet with nearby residents to discuss any concerns about the project.
NEXT MEETING
WHAT: Regional Planning Commission
WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12
WHERE: Kent County Administrative Complex, 555 Bay Road (Route 113), Dover, near the Blue Hen Corporate Center and the Department of Motor Vehicles.
