Thinking Outside the Big Box: Municipal and Retailer Innovations in Large-scale Retail: Fid-Bau Portal

Thinking Outside the Big Box: Municipal and Retailer Innovations in Large-scale Retail

Evans-Cowley, Jennifer S.

This study explores innovations in big-box retail development driven by both public and private sector initiatives. It includes a survey of planners in US cities asking about the presence and extent of big-box developments, how the cities approached regulating them, and innovations that retailers are undertaking. The results revealed that many cities have big-box retail, and they have typically adopted various regulations (such as limiting design standards, design review and size caps) to control it. Some cities reported that they were utilizing innovative techniques, such as dark-box ordinances, to ensure that big boxes will make positive contributions to their communities. Respondents reported that these regulations had only moderate success. Respondents also reported on innovations undertaken by retailers. As big-box retail continues to spread, communities will need to develop more effective mechanisms to ensure that big box retail is appropriately integrated.