City receives outparcel plan for Sam's Club location

The city is waiting for a $700 fee before Ed White, the city's building official, can review plans for a 12,800-square-foot outparcel that may house businesses displaced by an incoming Sam's Club.

The plan proposed is for a building to be constructed just south of the McDonalds in the Sebring Plaza shopping center along U.S. 27.

"This has nothing to do with the Sam's Club," said White on Friday, meaning the actual Sam's Club building. "They (the shopping center owner and contractor) came in early last week... but they did not submit the application for the plan review fee."

Sam's Club has announced its intention to build at the location of the former Scotty's and where the Heartland Workforce is presently located along U.S. 27 and Bayview Street.

The big question on many people's minds is when?

White said he had originally received plans for a 12,100-square-foot outparcel building about three weeks ago, but was told not to begin his review as a revised set of plans was coming, he said. He received them about five days later.

The structure is listed as "Building J" on the overall Sam's Club site plan submitted months ago.

The 68-foot-by-185-foot outparcel would be set up something like the building that houses Panera Bread, Mattress Giant and Starbucks Coffee, at the Shoppes at Shelby Crossing, in Sebring.

It was to be permitted as a big box, but would in all likelihood be subdivided into six parts, said White. It was believed that Subway and possibly a bakery next door could become tenants there.

This is a permit being pulled by a general contactor on behalf of the shopping center's owner, he said.

"Sam's Club will not close on the property until all the permits are pulled," said White. "It's been a long involved process. Sam's is extremely (cautious); from talking to some of the contractors, Sam's doesn't want any surprises. They want all their ducks in a row before they close on the property."

According to the city's rules, all commercial development must have a certificate of concurrency before building permits are issued. Concurrency makes sure all infrastructure improvements are made and paid for by the developers.