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From left, Curt Wike discusses renovation plans with Hill County Commissioner Mark Peterson, and Soning Board Members Russ Getten and Dan Korb during a meeting in the Timmons Room Wednesday in Havre.
Plans were approved Wednesday to allow construction of an outdoor bullpen at the former site of Kmart. If North 40 Outfitters acquires the property, they will be able to eliminate a large portion of parking to create a new fenced-in area for merchandise similar to what they currently have at the Holiday Village Mall parking lot.
The Hill County Zoning Board approved North 40 Outfitters' request for a parking lot variance to reduce the number of parking spaces in order to fence off an area, 34,000 sq. ft., for an outdoor products display area, or bull pen, at the former Kmart building east of Havre on U.S. Highway 2 West.
North 40 Outfitters co-owners, Curt and Wayne Wike, and Macek Companies President Mark Macek, representing owners of the former Kmart building Seritage Growth Properties, came before the board to apply for the variance. Curt Wike informed the board of the reasons of the variance as well as answered questions.
"I hate to see you leave the shopping center but, hey, this is a nice big empty building that needs to be filled," Zoning Board member Russ Getten said.
Wike said that North 40 does not own the property currently, and the sale is contingent on a variety of different variables and steps, this variance being one of them. He added that they have no timeline determining date for starting work on the Kmart property or moving in. Much of the sale, he said, still is being negotiated on with the former owners.
Over all, most of the changes will be strictly cosmetic with some light renovations in the office area, he said, and the building will not be changed at this time.
North 40 has approximately 45 to 48 employees, including part-time and full-time employees, Wike said, with less than 25 percent of them working at one time.
"It stands to reason that with a larger footprint we'd probably be looking at additional employees," he said.
He added that he will also encourage North 40 employees not to park in the front of the parking lot to allow customers to park closer to the building.
Board member Marty Barger asked Wike if, with the reduced parking spaces, North 40 has any plans to adapt for overflow of customers during busier parts of the year.
Wike said that the the first year after they move into the new space would be a test year, and, if needed, they will make accommodations in the future.
"I think until we get through one season we wouldn't know," he said.
Barger said that according to the proposal North 40 submitted the parking lot will have seven handicap spaces available, but wanted to know if North 40 was also planning to include van accessibility spots for larger vehicles, such as horse trailers.
Wike said that they will be looking at van accessibility, although they are not that far along in the process yet. He added that in the future, after they finalize the deal for the property, they can submit building permits which can address this issue.
"What I would say is what we've submitted on the handicap is not etched in stone, in the sense that if the building permit process says you must have this or you must have that," he said.
Getten said that horse trailers take a large amount of room in a parking lot and could cause it to be congested.
Wike said that North 40 is experienced with customers who own horse trailers, and he believes there will be enough room for customers to park and still have room to turn around.
Wike added that having this approved was just one of the steps needed for the deal to purchase the Kmart building. He said they have a few other steps that they will have to address before any action is taken and the sale is finalized.
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