By Perry Schaible
Enquirer contributor

DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP - Tuesday brought another stop in the long road toward the development of a Wal-Mart Supercenter in this growing township.

Wal-Mart representatives submitted three options for the faÁade of a proposed 203,000-square-foot building, but trustees Randy Kuvin and Lee Speidel could not agree on one. Designs were presented at a site plan hearing Tuesday.

Kuvin and Speidel approved plans for the supercenter in June after months of public debate. Several conditions were placed on the project, including one that required developers to return for approval of the facade and a fuel station. The third trustee, Barbara Wilkens-Reed, has abstained because of her family's interest in nearby properties.

According to the conditions of approval, trustees have until Monday or 60 days from the date of approval to come to a consensus on the facade, or it will be modeled after a supercenter in Invergrove Heights, Minn.

"It's unfortunate, but it's not as simple as how do we want the building to look," said Tim Hershner, community development director for Deerfield Township, adding Wal-Mart has certain specifications it needs to meet.

Wal-Mart representatives declined to make modifications to two of the designs by the end of the week.

Debra Sullivan, of CESO Inc., a Dayton-based engineering firm working on the project, said officials plan to apply for a zoning permit after the 60-day period expires.

"Of course we're disappointed," Sullivan said Wednesday. "We worked very hard to get this far. It's been a long, long process."

It will then be up to Hershner to decide if the design meets the condition of approval.

"In the end though, I'm still hopeful that something can get resolved," Hershner said.