NIMBY? – OK, says Stein

By Dave Fidlin

Correspondent

Stein Gardens and Gifts has reacted with a swift “never mind” to a Not-In-My-Back-Yard (NIMBY) campaign to block its entry into the Waterford business community.

As a result, Stein is taking its business five minutes up the road to Burlington, where officials have welcomed Stein’s proposal for a temporary “pop up” garden plant facility this spring.

Waterford had been Stein’s first choice to locate the seasonal store, which operates under the moniker Stein Just Plants.

If approved, it would have been set up in the parking lot of the Waterford Pick ’n Save, 515 N. Milwaukee St.

The Stein Just Plants store will now be located in Burlington off Highway 36 this spring.

Monday night, village plan officials met, as scheduled, to consider Stein’s request for the Waterford location.

They soon learned that the regional garden retailer was no longer interested in pursuing the Waterford location.

On March 21, Stein representatives asked village planners for permission to operate the so-called pop up seasonal store outside Pick ’n Save.

A public hearing was held at that time, with action scheduled to be taken at a special meeting set for Monday, April 9.

Several residents and plan commissioners at the March meeting raised concerns about the impact on local businesses if Just Plants operated out of the temporary facility this May and June.

Resident Leona Robran, operator of the locally based Robran’s Greenhouse, was among those speaking against the proposal. Robran said she has witnessed a decline in business in recent years, and Stein’s presence in the community could put her out of business.

Monday night, Plan Commissioners were scheduled to act on Stein’s request for a conditional-use permit for the Waterford site. For about 15 minutes, they wrangled over the issue with legal counsel.

Village President Tom Roanhouse, who chairs the Plan Commission, pointed to an online article on www.MyRacineCounty.com, portal site for the Waterford Post, that included about two dozen comments posted by residents. Roanhouse noted that most appeared to be against the Stein proposal.

But before commissioners delved too far into the debate, Stein representative Bryan Linstroth spoke up, stating that the company was withdrawing its application.

Linstroth said Stein will be opening a Just Plants store along Highway 36 in Burlington.

“They’ve welcomed us with open arms,” Linstroth said.

The Stein request had spurred an online debate within the community about the allowance of competing businesses.

Based on how Waterford’s Village Code is written, Village Attorney Marcia Hasenstab said competition could not be used as a sole determining factor in denying an application.

“What you are evaluating is how this use fits on the site,” Hasenstab explained.

“The opponents (in the Stein request) appear to be protecting businesses. But that is not a proper consideration in determining the conditional use. This is a free enterprise society.”

Commissioner Robert Mack acknowledged the sensitivity surrounding the Stein proposal.

“Based on the comments in the newspaper article, it seems to me there’s overwhelming opposition,” Mack said. “But competition is how we operate in this country. Otherwise, we’d be a dictatorship. It’s a very touchy situation.”

In recent years, Stein has operated its so-called pop-up stores – a term in the retail industry used to describe a temporary, seasonal operation – throughout the Milwaukee metropolitan area.

Last year, Stein Just Plants stores cropped up in Cedarburg, Muskego, Oak Creek, Pewaukee and Waukesha. Stein officials plan to increase the number this year.

Stein Just Plants is a small, scaled-down version of the retailer’s permanent, standalone stores and operates during the busy planting for about eight weeks. A small selection of merchandise is sold in a 40-by-75-foot greenhouse, including flowers, gardening materials and landscaping products.