Town opposes Walmart...

buttmunch · October 18th, 2005, 10:46 AM

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. -- Some Zionsville residents are upset about a proposal to bring a Super Wal-Mart to town.
Slideshow: Wal-Mart Opponents Flood Meeting
Monday night, developers made their pitch to the Zionsville plan commission, which would need to rezone the property for the project.
Wal-Mart developers said the project on the Boone/Hamilton County line means 500 new jobs, with an average annual salary of about $17,400.
Residents at the meeting who oppose the plan said the quality of those jobs is in question.
"The whole concept is just an antithesis of Zionsville and its quaint history," resident Ron Davis said.
Opponents of the Wal-Mart plan signed a petition and handed out buttons at the commission meeting.
"That land right now is zoned for research industrial and technical and I personally believe that those are the kinds of jobs we want in Zionsville," resident Jennifer Gleissner said.
Heritage Developers hoped the plan commission would approve rezoning and agree to the development.
"(The rezoning) does provide responsible development and growth," attorney Jim Shiniver said.
Supporters pointed out that $89,000 in tax revenue would go to Boone County and nearly $3 million in additional taxes would go to the state.
Opponents weren't swayed by the money.
"This is about protecting our Zionsville way of life," resident Dirk Hendricks said. "All of the numbers they have ... is a cannibalization of the revenue that already exists around here."
Wal-Mart developers pledged to sit down with opponents to try to iron out their differences.
The plan commission put off a decision on the issue Monday, postponing the decision until its November meeting.

stargazer · October 18th, 2005, 10:59 AM

wha?? I wish we had a Walmart around here. *sniff*

UndercoverGator · October 18th, 2005, 11:06 AM

and well they should oppose WalMart. Around here Pig Fart has killed off most local shopping. We had five fabric stores and 3 art supply stores and since Pig Fart came all went under. Wal Mart kills small towns.

stargazer · October 18th, 2005, 11:08 AM

What the heck kind of name is Pig Fart? Ew.

Grimmlok · October 18th, 2005, 11:13 AM

Meh, they'll probably just use eminent domain and snatch the land anyhow.

piperdiva · October 18th, 2005, 01:52 PM

no one says you have to shop there. if they snatch the land and build it, then just boycott the darn place.

**Tati** · October 19th, 2005, 01:04 AM

The Downtown Association was against adding a Wal*Mart to our town several years ago. The populace as a whole (somewhat er... redneck) wanted it desperately of course. I was a kid at the time, I thought the biggest stores were always the best, and all the other towns had them, blah, blah, blah... but I was a moron. It did, indeed, kill all the downtown shopping and diversity - downtown was pretty much the only pretty area of town and very pedestrian-friendly; the Wal*Mart is located in a massive parking lot on the highway that you most definitely have to drive to... it was just a bad idea all around. Now there's a giant Home Depot next to it, a massive Staples across the street, even more parking lot, and even less local business surviving.

Laurent · October 19th, 2005, 01:22 AM

I hate going to Wal Mart. They run every small, locally owned store into the ground and out of business. Another thing the fine people at Wal Mart are famous for is that they usually come build a "Super" Wal Mart in a town that already has a regular 'ol Wal-Mart. So, they come in and build their obnoxiously huge ass Super Wal-Mart and leave the shell of the old building lying dormant. This same senario has played out in every city I've ever lived in and the old building never gets rented or used, it just sits there as an eyesore.

moomies · October 19th, 2005, 01:23 AM

Here, the city of Vancouver, has also been opposed to Wal Mart.

SammysMom · October 19th, 2005, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tati

The Downtown Association was against adding a Wal*Mart to our town several years ago. The populace as a whole (somewhat er... redneck) wanted it desperately of course. I was a kid at the time, I thought the biggest stores were always the best, and all the other towns had them, blah, blah, blah... but I was a moron. It did, indeed, kill all the downtown shopping and diversity - downtown was pretty much the only pretty area of town and very pedestrian-friendly; the Wal*Mart is located in a massive parking lot on the highway that you most definitely have to drive to... it was just a bad idea all around. Now there's a giant Home Depot next to it, a massive Staples across the street, even more parking lot, and even less local business surviving.

Do you live in Texas Tati? The town my husband is from was against thern building a Super Wal-Mart but WM won out.

**Tati** · October 19th, 2005, 01:47 AM

No, this was in a small-mid size Northern Ontario town. Aye, we have rednecks, too, hehe.

IceQueen · October 19th, 2005, 02:16 AM

We won our fight against them, but it was interesting seeing the techniques they used to try to weasel their way in. Now, they are trying to build in the two towns surrounding me. One town will probably have to let them, but they already have a mega-store that can use some competition. The other will give a fight as well, and probably will win. No matter what type of big box store comes in, it will always crush the smaller stores. Home Depot and Lowes did that to my community, but the funny thing is - they are right next to each other - sharing the same parking lot. So, competition between them is pretty even.

buttmunch · October 19th, 2005, 02:57 AM

I have vowed to never shop at Pig Fart (love that name) again. After seeing and reading about their general corporate practices as well as how they strangle small, locally owned business, I will not support them...even for magnums of chocolate for a buck (although I will miss that). I think part of the disconnection in towns is that there are fewer and fewer locally owned businesses and therefore people aren't going to the local hardware store, checking with Bob, who's been there since time began, and buying on his recommendation. Sure you pay a little more but big deal. At least you're supporting the local economy in a much more direct way and thus making your town a better, more freindly place.

DisruptiveHair · October 19th, 2005, 03:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laurent

I hate going to Wal Mart. They run every small, locally owned store into the ground and out of business. Another thing the fine people at Wal Mart are famous for is that they usually come build a "Super" Wal Mart in a town that already has a regular 'ol Wal-Mart. So, they come in and build their obnoxiously huge ass Super Wal-Mart and leave the shell of the old building lying dormant. This same senario has played out in every city I've ever lived in and the old building never gets rented or used, it just sits there as an eyesore.

There used to be a smallish K-Mart on the other side of the tollroad from us...Reina, you know the one I'm talking about on Inwood Road...and it sat there vacant for YEARS. I haven't been down that way in a while so I don't know if it's still there, but an entire generation of north Dallas teenagers learned how to drive in that parking lot.

DisruptiveHair · October 19th, 2005, 03:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buttmunch

I have vowed to never shop at Pig Fart (love that name) again. After seeing and reading about their general corporate practices as well as how they strangle small, locally owned business, I will not support them...even for magnums of chocolate for a buck (although I will miss that). I think part of the disconnection in towns is that there are fewer and fewer locally owned businesses and therefore people aren't going to the local hardware store, checking with Bob, who's been there since time began, and buying on his recommendation. Sure you pay a little more but big deal. At least you're supporting the local economy in a much more direct way and thus making your town a better, more freindly place.

I refuse to shop at Asda for the same reason.

Brits...you can boycott Wal-Mart too!!!!!! Just don't shop at Asda!

Then again, Tesco is almost as bad...