Apex Planning Commission Shoots Down Home Depot Proposal

Almost three hours after the public hearing began at town hall, the planning commission unanimously voted against the controversial plan to put a Home Depot in Apex at Highways 55 and 64.

Residents say they would love to have a Home Depot nearby, most of them say they go to the one in Cary, but they also say they want this one to be located somewhere else.

Two days after Amanda Anderson moved into her new house in Apex, she found out that the retailer was planning to build a 130,000 square foot store in her backyard.

"The revised plans are showing about 60 feet from my backyard," she said. "The houses behind me are going to be within 40 to 25 feet."

Residents of the Walden Creek subdivision wanted more extensive buffers between their homes and the proposed mega-store.

People like Judy Ward were also concerned about the traffic the store would generate -- one study predicts 2,300 cars a day.

"And that's going one way, so you would really be looking at over 4,000 entering and exiting that particular location," Ward said.

Monday night residents packed town hall to tell the planning committee what they thought of Home Depot's site plan.

Representatives from Home Depot defended their plan, listing off the changes they are willing to make to appease homeowners.

"We'd like these people to be customers, and the more things we do compatible to that neighborhood, the better off we are," says Charles Tremel with Home Depot.

Home Depot does have the option to go back and address some of the concerns. There were a couple of areas that the planning commission wanted them to re-evaluate such as traffic and the disposal of hazardous materials.

The recommendation that the commission voted on Monday night will go before the full city council at their next meeting. Home Depot may be able to make some changes before the city council meeting, or he company can wait and present a new plan later.