ForKids withdraws application for special exception at Public Hearing

Today at the Planning Commission Public Hearing, ForKids withdrew their application for a special exception to the zoning to open a used merchandise store. Thayler McCormick, CEO of ForKids, said that there was too much community opposition and her organization did not want to jeopardize their relations with the community. Several prominent Greater Wards Corner Civic Leagues sent letters of opposition to granting of the special exception to the zoning. All the letters had high praise for the good work that ForKids does in helping homeless families, but understood that this was a land use issue.  The zoning would not have flowed with ForKids, but would have flowed with the land, thus giving the shopping center owner the right to run a thrift store at the old Sports Zone address, even if ForKIds for some reason abandoned the site. Language for a three-year sunset clause in the special exception draft ordinance was added by planning on Wednesday, but none of the civic leagues in opposition were aware of the sunset clause when their civic leagues voted on the thrift store application.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, January 27th, 2011 at 5:40 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

3 Responses to ForKids withdraws application for special exception at Public Hearing

  1. Questionable says:
    January 28, 2011 at 12:05 am

    Thank you to the civic leagues who stopped the thrift store. Good reading eye! I agree, Forkids serves a great purpose, but a thrift store permit at Wards Corner is a step backwards. We need higher end stores to bring it back.

  2. jinnie says:
    January 28, 2011 at 7:42 am

    with all of the thrift stores on littlecreek rd i just cant imagine why actual wards corner was targeted by them. next it would have been storefront churches and then say goodbye to any chance this area has to recover for decades. so i must also thank the civic leagues for stepping up. please don’t get me wrong charity is a great thing and the people behind this are most likely very caring and decent people. our community has enough working against it we don’t need to accelerate its decline any faster.

  3. Denise says:
    January 29, 2011 at 8:05 pm

    …Although I think that a Thrift Store wouldn’t actually mark a decline of a community, I do agree that in order for Wards Corner to go through a serious gentrification process, the community needs to attract more mainstream business. Why can’t we have business such as Targets, Marshalls, Kohls, etc or eateries such as Panera Bread, Max & Erma’s, or Moes? If we want revitalization, let’s go all the way. We have enough bars & Sports bars …so let’s go more upscale.

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