The Crittenden Automotive Library

Truck Parking at Wal-Mart

Truck Parking at Wal-Mart

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
July 27, 2009

In some communities, when Wal-Mart comes to town to build a huge store, the city planners anticipate problems that have sprung up all over the country, and they head them off at the pass.

One of the problems has to do with truck parking in front of the store. Now, we're not talking about delivery vehicles. These are trucks that are most likely parked and left while the drivers are home in Woodstock or visiting someone.

It's nice that the City gets upset if someone parks a semi on Calhoun while hanging out for a few hours. That's good.

It's my understanding that truck parking at Wal-Mart was not addressed, when Wal-Mart came knocking on Woodstock's door. And I guess we don't want to make them too mad about anything because, when tax incentives run out, they might just abandon the store and move up the road a little for new tax benefits. Or maybe move into the County, where Woodstock would lose all that sales tax revenue.

But it might be nice for Community Development to pay a friendly visit at Wal-Mart and try to get the Store Manager's help to eliminate the parking that is a growing problem. He may or may not have any authority and will most likely have to confer with folks on up the food chain, maybe even all the way to Arkansas.

The above photo, taken Saturday afternoon, shows four tractor-trailer units and one detached semi-trailer.

Another Lawyer said...

And what exactly is the problem with truck or rv parking at a walmart?
July 27, 2009 3:25 PM

Gus said...

Trucks:
1. eyesore
2. not a commercial parking lot; it's a retail store
3. environmental hazard (oil, diesel leaks)
4. increased police costs
A. potential for vehicle theft
B. potential for theft of cargo
C. graffiti target
D. vandalism target
RVs:
You don't see any RVs parked there overnight. Yet...
July 27, 2009 3:33 PM

Bill Crittenden said...

Trucks:
1. It's not appropriate in a free nation to tell your neighbor how to keep his property because you don't like the way it looks. There is no excuse for it.
2. If they're customers (most likely they have made purchases while parked there), it is retail business, even if their vehicles are a bit bigger than the average family station wagon.
3. It's no worse than the diesel and oil dropped on Routes 14 and 47 as the trucks drive through town, and likely less than the thousands of cars that park at Walmart on a daily basis leak since they are likely less well maintained than a vehicle subject to DOT safety inspections. (ever know someone who just accepts adding a quart of oil a week as part of owning a car? I have.)
4. Offset by the increased tax revenues.

Anyone who knows the Walmart business model knows that they're truck and RV friendly, and anyone who allowed Walmart in town and is now surprised by the trucks parked out front just didn't do their research before voting on/approving the plan. In addition to that, why is Walmart yet again singled out for the public's displeasure when there are far worse eyesores and many other commercial vehicles parked in front of the businesses along Lake Street? What about the trailers usually seen parked in front of Farm & Fleet? How about the general decrepit appearance of and multiple nonfunctioning vehicles parked beside Botts Welding on Route 47?

Yet here we are, hearing more complaints about Walmart...I for one am frankly tired of hearing them, if people don't like Walmart, there's a Target in Crystal Lake and a Target in McHenry. Enjoy!
July 27, 2009 6:12 PM