Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 3, 1994 TAG: 9405030148
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MICHAEL STOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Developer John Knibb said the retail giant will proceed with plans to build a 200,000-square-foot supercenter on 25 acres next to the mall that are already zoned for commercial use.
When plans for the project were unveiled in February, Wal-Mart executives thought the additional land was needed in order to build the store and still leave room for a future interchange off Interstate 581.
That's not the case anymore, Knibb said.
The Arkansas-based company has since developed a site plan that even without the rezoning will allow it to build the supercenter and leave room for the interchange.
City Council chambers were in disarray after Mayor David Bowers announced that the rezoning request had been withdrawn.
"Can I say something?" said Roanoke resident Edmond Damus, rising from his seat.
Bowers politely told him no, but Damus continued anyway.
His words couldn't be heard as Bowers rapped the gavel and repeated several times that Damus was out of order.
Damus then marched out of council chambers. He was followed by about six other residents who had come to speak against the project.
In the hall, Damus continued to rail against the proposal.
"What kind of joke is that?" he said . "It's ridiculous."
Damus was upset with Wal-Mart's claim that a new store would generate $600,000 in annual tax revenues for the city.
"Is that before or after the small businesses close?" he said, referring to the argument that a new Wal-Mart will hurt existing stores.
Several minutes later, at Bowers' request, Damus and other opponents of the project returned to council chambers. The mayor explained for a second time that the residents could voice concerns at the end of the meeting.
Pat Nutter and four others did just that.
Nutter told council that she opposed the added commercial development that a new Wal-Mart would cause.
A new interstate interchange near Wal-Mart would open 130 acres of farmland for development, and that could severely worsen air quality, Nutter said. "You take this beautiful fresh air for granted. Pretty soon, you're going to have a concrete jungle."
One reason Wal-Mart withdrew its rezoning request, Knibb said, is because it was unable to reach an agreement with surrounding landowners, as well as Faison Associates - the mall's primary owner - and the city.
Those parties tried to work out details about the cost to each of extending Valley View Boulevard to the proposed I-581 interchange.
Bowers said the interchange would be an extremely important economic development tool and that the city would continue to push for completion of the project.
by CNB