LH Press Library
City Plan Commission Gives OK to Wal-Mart
Rezoning application passes with a second hearing set to consider lot landscaping
Lake Highlands People, Peter Simek and Kris
Chesnutt
September 30, 2005
The City Plan Commission brought the proposed Lake Highlands Wal-Mart Supercenter one step closer to completion on Sept. 22, approving a zoning change that will allow for a mixed-use district to the area north of Forest Lane and west of Abrams Road.
Although passed, the zoning proposal is not ready to move on to the city council. It will return to the planning commission on Sept. 29 in order to approve amendment that specifies a landscape plan for the development.
But landscaping is an unimportant issue for many Lake Highlands residents, who fear the mere presence of a Wal-Mart will wreak havoc on their neighborhood.
About a dozen residents attended the Sept. 22 planning commission hearing to voice their opposition to the new development, and they are sure to turn out in even greater numbers if and when the item moves before the council.
More than 100 residents attended a town-hall style meeting at Skyview Elementary two weeks ago to the debate the Wal-Mart development with District 10 City Councilman Bill Blaydes.
The meeting, a follow-up to an Aug. 16 meeting held by Blaydes during which he announced the proposed development, was sponsored by the Forest Meadow Neighborhood Association and included representatives from Wal-Mart and its real estate company.
John Christon, with the Christon Company, described the benefits of demolishing the two apartments complexes, the Royal Inn motel, the American Inn, and an abandoned 50,000—square —foot office building already at the site, and defended the corporation’s plans to design a ‘unique” Wal-Mart, with a brick and stone exterior to better blend into the neighborhood.
‘This has got some character to it,” he said. “Wal-Mart wanted to say ‘what is the nicest building we could possibly do?”
Mr. Blaydes urged residents to accept the proposal, which he said would be beneficial to the economic development of the area.
“It is a project that at this point I am in favor of. Dallas needs that economic development, and Lake Highlands needs a difference in shopping areas,” Mr. Blaydes said. “It’s a whole different approach from what we’re accustomed to, and we’re going to make sure it’s well- maintained.”
But residents remained unconvinced of the proposal, citing traffic, security, and general maintenance as possible problems brought on by a Wal-Mart on Forest Lane.
“It doesn’t take a college graduate to understand a Wal-Mart coming into our area is going to increase traffic,” area resident Hayden McKinney said. “It’s not only going to increase our car traffic, but it’s going to increase the foot traffic.”
Al Knutson, a resident of the Town Creek subdivision, said his pickup was stolen at a Wal-Mart a few weeks ago.
‘Security is a real problem at Wal-Mart stores,” he said.
The Forest Meadow Neighborhood Association came out against the Wal Mart, questioning Mr. Blaydes’ argument that Wal-Mart fits into the area’s long— range plan.
Nicole Christofilis, the neighborhood association’s vice president, listed several reasons to be against the proposal — higher crime, increased traffic, bankruptcy of smaller companies, and maintenance of the store.
“Can we believe that Wal Mart is going to be a good neighbor?” she asked.
Residents’ doubts stem from the problems at other Wal-Mart locations, including the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market at Audelia Road. On Aug. 31 representatives from the Lake Highlands Area Improvement Association (LHAIA) and presidents from surrounding neighborhood associations, along with the city code compliance, met with the store’s manager, Aaron Carter, to discuss the store’s condition.
Some of their complaints included lack of security, the employees’ lack of professionalism and courtesy, the condition of the parking lot, the store’s cleanliness, and the overall maintenance at the store.
Gus Whitcomb, Wal-Mart Corporate Affairs Director for North Texas said they have already started fixing some things, but other problems will take longer to fix.
“There were some minor things they brought to our attention that were very easy to change,” Mr. Whitcomb said. “We need to provide answers that last, not just address it for a few days.”
The LHAIA, a partnership of homeowners and crime watch groups, has not taken a position on the building of the new Wal-Mart because the group is divided on it, the association’s Executive Vice President Sean Christopher said.
After the planning commission revisits the Wal-Mart zoning on Sept. 29, the item is scheduled to appear on the Dallas City Council agenda on Oct. 26.
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