As reported here in June, Windsor, CO was hotly debating WM Supercenter. Well, a meeting was held, and the town board has rejected it:
Windsor's Town Board on Monday rejected a rezoning plan that would have allowed Wal-Mart to build a 186,000-square-foot supercenter just west of King Soopers and Safeway stores.Many people are just relieved the entire debate is over.
After an emotional public hearing that included comments from 61 people in three hours, the board rejected the hotly contested proposal by a vote of 4-3.About three-fourths of the citizens who spoke at the hearing opposed the rezoning, citing traffic and low wages as issues. Many voiced safety concerns because of the proposed store's close proximity to a local elementary school.
Others worried that Wal-Mart would put local merchants out of business, drive away local grocers and create low-paying jobs with few benefits.
"Wal-Mart is not a good company," said Sara Hoff, an employee at the Windsor Safeway during the hearing. "It doesn't pay well, and it doesn't pay good benefits."
But not everyone opposed Wal-Mart.
"I'd rather put my kids in the car to drive a block away than to drive 13 miles to get a pair of shoes," said Bill Bray, a Windsor resident.
The 23-acre site, located north of Main Street between 16th and 17th streets, once was zoned as commercial property until a developer rezoned the property as residential property in 2002.
But with the recent addition of a Safeway and King Soopers to the town, Wal-Mart began to show interest in the fast-growing Windsor market.
If you listen hard enough, you just might hear a collective sigh in the Windsor community.Thanks to Jim Tayler for the heads up.
After nine months of Wal-Mart talk in Main Street shops, yellow signs lining neighborhood streets and passionate public debates, a decision on whether the world�s largest retailer can build a supercenter west of town will come Monday night.Of course, the unexpected is always possible. But Wal-Mart and Windsor town officials both say this time, they are ready for a decision to be made.
Posted by Kevin on November, 3 2004 at 05:34 AM
