Almost all of huge expansion of Gilford Walmart will be in Laconia

LACONIA – More than an acre of wetlands, virtually all of it in Laconia, would be affected under a plan to double the size of the Walmart in Gilford.

A representative of WS Development, the owner of the Walmart Plaza on Lake Shore Road, along with project consultants, talked about the wetlands implications before the Laconia Conservation Commission Thursday evening.

The discussion was informal because the commission lacked a quorum.

Tom Sokoloski, a soil scientist and wetlands specialist with Schauer Environmental Consultants, described the area in question as “marginal wetlands” and said that altering them would have relatively little impact on the ecology of the area. He said much of the ground within the wetlands area was hard-pack soil, not wet marshlands commonly found in wetlands.

At issue is 31,152-square-feet of wetlands in Laconia. A much smaller area – 211 square feet – is located over the boundary in Gilford.

The wetlands would be altered by the planned Walmart addition, as well as construction of a new access road for use by delivery vehicles and installation of utilities.

WS Development project manager Caleb J. Perrin said that 22,000-square-feet of the existing Walmart would be demolished, and then a 60,000-square-foot addition constructed, making the store 36,000-square-feet larger than it is presently. All of the added space would be on the Laconia side of the line that diagonally splits the current store.

The expansion area would be to the left of the current store and would run much deeper than the current structure in that area.

The new store would be a Walmart Supercenter, selling groceries in addition to department store merchandise. The Walmart store will remain open during construction, Perrin noted.

He said that the Chestnut Hill, Mass.-based WS Development expects to make formal site plan application to the Laconia and Gilford planning boards by early May and that wetlands permit applications would be submitted to the various local and state agencies later this month.

Engineer William Stack explained that the project would add another acre that would be covered by building, or paved roadways or parking areas. The additional water runoff would be channeled into an upgraded retention pond on the property.

Conservation Commission Chairman Dean Anson said when WS Development and its consultants come back to present their official application they will need to explain what steps that will be taken to minimize erosion and siltation during the excavation and construction. He noted that a considerable amount of silt washed into Black Brook during the construction of the Lowe’s store at Winnipesaukee Crossing, across the roadway from Walmart Plaza.

Stack assured Anson that steps could be taken to prevent any runoff washing soil from the site into nearby brooks or ponds.

Attorney Rod Dyer, who is representing WD Development, said the group met with the Gilford Conservation Commission on Tuesday.

Perrin called the project “a substantial opportunity at a critical time” for the area’s economy. He said that even with the expansion the new Walmart would be 20,000-square-feet smaller than typical supercenter stores. Perrin said that Walmart nevertheless was committed to the scaled-down version because it wants to keep its presence in the Laconia-Gilford area.

A half-dozen smaller stores in the Walmart Plaza – Hair Excitement, Nail Envy, Taipei Osaka, GameStop, Payless and Dollar Tree – would remain in the shopping center, altogether occupying some 7,500 feet. The 49,277-square-foot section of the plaza formerly occupied by Hannaford supermarket would be divided into three retail spaces for lease to new tenants.