October 14, 2003
Wal-Mart fight expands
Neighborhood activists are expected to call on the Austin Zoning and Platting Commission Tuesday night to not approve zoning requests wanted by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on two parcels and for the City Council to begin an "economic and social impact study" of the retailer's expansion plans in the city.
The Commission's scheduled meeting Tuesday night at One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Road, is expected to draw environmental and neighborhood leaders, along with representatives of the Austin AFL-CIO, Austin Independent Business Alliance, Austin Neighborhoods Together and the South River City Citizens to ask for the delay, according to a release from group representatives.
Wal-Mart officials are seeking zoning for new stores at I-35 and Slaughter Lane and on Ben White Boulevard. But the groups want the City Council review, which would include an examination of the growing "big box" trend of retailers flocking to Austin.
Some in those organizations, including activist Robin Rather, have questioned if the big boxes damage local business.
The move comes on the heels of another grassroots effort that led Wal-Mart to back away from plans for a store in Southwest Austin at Slaughter Lane and South MoPac Expressway.
Daphne Davis Moore, community affairs manager for Wal-Mart, has said the retailer moved away from that store in recognition of environmental concerns and hoped the action would help garner zoning for the other stores.
At a speech Tuesday afternoon to the Real Estate Council of Austin, City
Manager Toby Futrell said that attracting retail development is crucial to
the city's tax base, and that hundreds of neighbors near the two proposed
stores before the Commission Tuesday night had written in support of the
projects.
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