Off the Wal, into the Meijer?

Meijer, Inc. is proposing a 192,000 square foot supermarket and discount store for at St. Martin Road (Highway 100) and Loomis Road (Highway 36) here in Franklin, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Monday's "conceptual review" of the proposal before the City Council,

"raised concerns about the store's preliminary design, its traffic impact on Puetz Road and its proposed 24- hour operation.

"But Mayor Tom Taylor and other council members also said the city needs the jobs - roughly 200 to 250 - and property tax revenue that the store would create.

"'This is a plus to the community,' said Ald. Ken Skowronski."

Were jobs and revenue less important eight years ago?

"Walmart in 2004 proposed a combined supermarket and discount store at the Loomis Road site. Walmart drew opposition from Franklin residents who said it would bring traffic congestion, environmental damage and crime."

That opposition was buttressed by a zoning change, and Walmart dropped the proposal.

"As a result of the Walmart plan, Franklin enacted an ordinance that limits retail stores to 125,000 square feet. None of the aldermen at Monday's meeting said they would object to changing that ordinance to allow Meijer to operate a store beyond that limit."

Is there a basis for distinguishing the proposals? Much pro and con in comments to the reporter's initial blog post.