The parcel of land was for decades a plant nursery which recently ceased business and the land was rezoned for professional/light commerce, compatible with surrounding businesses.
Walmart's proposal will require a rezoning to heavy commercial. The hearing master meeting is October 15.
The parcel of land is on the main four lane north/south road, heavily trafficked, of Tampa, Florida, at an intersection with a two lane road of residential housing. It will require erecting a stop light.
One can go in any direction from this spot and within two miles shop at an existing Walmart if one wanted to do so.
It would appear that a large majority of businesses and residents in the immediate area are adamantly opposed and are organized with sign holding protests at the intersection three mornings a week, distribution of information packets informing people of the proposed change, the bureaucratic process involved, and what they can do to support the effort to oppose Walmart. We continue to receive helpful TV and print media coverage of this "David and Goliath" confrontation.
Any input would be appreciated.
A few years ago I went to a Walmart to buy some items.
I then went to a local big box grocery store for things WM did not carry. The first thing I noticed was the price for the same brand goods at the (Unionized) grocery store were TWICE THE PRICE of Walmart.
One woman looked at the higher priced item, shook her head in sticker shock, put it in her cart, and said..” Well, it is just too far to go to Walmart right now.”
I don't know if this is any help to you, but it's a 97 minute documentary "Walmart: The High Cost Of Low Prices" on Walmart's nefarious practices: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jazb24Q2s94
When I lived in Michigan, whenever Walmart wanted to expand the plot of land they were proposing to build on would mysteriously be declared a “wetland”.
The whole state is a wetland.
While the other posters seem to be for Walmart, I know how you feel. The local communities surrounding the proposed big box super center to stay open 24/7 was a big deal for us to.
You can find a Walmart in every direction within five miles. We did not want our area of Seminole County Florida to look like Colonial Dr. in Orlando. We all got together and fought hard at the City and County committees. This took a long time, but while they (Walmart) were hung up trying to convince the commissioners the positive influence this new store would provide, we protesters listed just as many or more negatives. After a year Walmart and their lawyers gave up. A nice Italian restaurant and several free standing banks and retail now occupy the land. The County/City realizing property values would decrease was probably the reason they sided with the residents!
You have to be persistent and get as many people and their signatures and attend every meeting. Once a permit is issued you are done! Best of luck!
Run for office in the municipality and appoint your cronies to the planning board, so that the variance will not be granted. You will need about $15,000 to finance your campaign. So collect campaign contributions from the owners of small businesses. Then use the forces of government to prevent the free market from driving them out of business. It's the American way.
Contact the Democrat Party, info Obama.
We love our Super Center. Chances are they will close at least one of the other WMs. That’s what happened near us. There is still only 1 WM.
NIMBY vs. Walmart? That’s an easy one.
I’m not a fan of WalMart but I think people overestimate their power. In the city near me there is 1 WalMart and two Meijer stores. I prefer Meijer.
I thought you were a conservative. Why do you oppose Walmart, too close to your home?
Walmart is OK, but NIMBY?
When it is finally built, will you drive the extra two miles or will you shop at the closer one?
If you don't like Walmart, don't shop there.
” One can go in any direction from this spot and within two miles shop at an existing Walmart if one wanted to do so.”
Odd that they would want or need another. Looks to me like the market is already saturated......unless their goal is to take business from local grocery stores. Will this lower your property value to any serious degree? That is the only argument I can see that you have.
Tell Jim Goodbye and write your obit bio for FR and say goodbye.
Then, join DU, Moveon and other liberal organizations.
Donate big to Obama and other haters of business.
Don’t bother to reply. At my age I have no time to waste on those who believe in chrony capitalism.
In the 80s, Walmart became the 800 lb. gorilla.
Since then, they have grown.
The only way to stop their acquisition of land might be through the city council. Chances are slim.
Just because they acquire land does not necessarily mean that they are going to build there. Walmart is so massive that in the HQ, many times, the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing.
Turned out, in Orlando at least, all the fears and hand wringing was pie in the sky. It has been a welcome addition to the food marketing scene for many lower income folks who need a bargain to get by.
Further re-zoning hasn't negatively affected the area around property on which they constructed the box.
Free market capitalism is THE economy of free peoples.
If you don’t like it, move to Venezuela.
Conservatism supports free markets, as we support freedom, period.
If the Walmart plans meet the existing zoning plans, leave them alone.
If they are looking for a special exemption on the zoning, which would cause traffic problems, then fight to make the zoning laws equally applied to everyone.
If you simply don’t like the idea of a new Walmart...then you are on the wrong forum.
I live in Tampa and am familiar with the Carrollwood area this is proposed for. The “2 miles north and south” is misleading since the street it is proposed for, Dale Mabry, is a heavily traveled north-south throughfare littered with traffic lights with 2-3 minute cycles (some even more, the further south you get). Those 2 miles, at rush hour, could easily take 15 minutes.
I know, as I live 2-3 miles from a Walmart in Tampa and would gladly have one closer. It can easily take me 15 minutes to get there during certain times of the day.
That being said, the Carrollwood area, and Tampa in general, isn’t exactly a beacon of “mom and pop” shops anyway, so what’s the big deal? Traffic? It won’t make it much worse than it already is.
Who actually owns the property now? The former business? WalMart’s property-acquisition division? The city or county (picked up for unpaid property taxes, perhaps)?