In August 2001, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance that prohibits retails stores larger than 70,000 square feet and requires a conditional use permit for those larger than 25,000 square feet. Coconino County has a population of 132,000. Its county seat is Flagstaff.
A number of other examples of store size caps. Continue reading
In response to Wal-Mart’s bid to place a supercenter in their town, Zionsville, Indiana (pop=12,000), enacted an ordinance prohibiting stores over 60,000 square feet and shopping centers over 125,000 square feet. Continue reading
Even though Westford, Massachusetts, beat back a Wal-Mart in 1994, citizens at Town Meeting soon after added future protection by prohibiting the building of large retail developments (over 60,000 sq. ft.) and making it harder to build 30,000 – 60,000 sq. ft. developments by requiring that they apply for special permits, allowing time for citizen input and review by planning boards. Continue reading
The town of Warwick, New York, a rural community about one hour north of Manhattan, enacted a new comprehensive plan in 1999 that calls for supporting "small, locally owned businesses and retail centers" and a new zoning code in 2002 that bars stores over 60,000 square feet and shopping centers with multiple stores that together exceed 80,000 square feet. Continue reading
On March 14, 2000, the residents of Walpole voted overwhelmingly to enact a 40,000-square-foot size limit on new retail stores and restaurants. Continue reading
After three consecutive six-month building moratoria in response to a proposal to construct a 150,000-square-foot shopping center, this small town of 7,500 people adopted a comprehensive town plan which included a zoning restriction limiting retail stores to no more than 45,000 square feet and shopping center sites to no more than 15 acres. Continue reading
In July 2001, the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, adopted this ordinance prohibiting retail stores larger than 150,000 square feet and requiring stores over 30,000 square feet to comply with architectural and site design standards. Continue reading
The city of Rockville bans stores over 65,000 square feet and requires those over 25,000 square feet to comply with design and siting guidelines. The city’s ordinance has a strong list of findings to support the size cap. Continue reading
In Februrary 2008, the Town Council enacted a measure barring stores over 45,000 square feet and imposing additional standards on those of 25,000 square feet or more. Continue reading
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