Big Box Store Plans Yanked

Update (Feb. 20 at 12 p.m.): Henrich Properties released a statement on the Gregg Tract Proposal. Read more here.

The proposal for three large box stores on Johnnie Dodds Boulevard has been abruptly pulled days before the developer was scheduled to make an initial pitch to town leaders.

Developer Henrich Properties will on Wednesday ask the Mount Pleasant Planning Commission for a deferment on its rezoning application, according to a town email sent to councilmen on Friday.

The developer was asking the town to rezone the property from multi-family residential to commercial. The 38-acre property is already approved for apartments, but Henrich was seeking to turn the land into a massive new shopping center.

Read more about the project.

The project set off a hailstorm of criticism from nearby residents who questioned its impact on everything from local business and the environment to nearby neighborhoods and traffic.

“We’ve been bombarded with calls, mostly from people who were opposed to the project,” said Councilwoman Thomasena Stokes-Marshall, who chairs the town council planning committee, which would have been the second stop in the project’s review process.

The project was reportedly going to include a Sam's Club, Home Depot and Academy Sports, according to comments by Mayor Billy Swails.

Several groups were organizing a large presence at Wednesday’s planning commission meeting to show opposition to the project.

“This does not prevent the matter from being re-visited, but many folks who indicated they were headed to the planning commission meeting on Wednesday to speak for or against the proposal may want to re-consider in light of the request to defer,” said Councilman Chris Nickels.

If the planning commission, planning committee and the town council agree to the deferment, the developer can elect to keep the plans in queue and resubmit their application within a year, Stokes-Marshall said.

“I’ve been told they could come back in 30 days with some changes,” said Mike Tyson, who led an effort on Twitter to block the project. “I think (deferring the application) is a start, but there’s too much money on the table for them to just walk away.”

Attempts were not successful on Sunday to reach anyone associated with Henrich Properties for a comment.