Friday, October 18, 2002
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Friday, October 18, 2002 |
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PTC mayor lauds Wal-Mart officials for working with city By JOHN
MUNFORD The newly opened Wal-Mart Supercenter off Ga. Highway 54 West in Peachtree City is by far the largest retail building in the city. But Mayor Steve Brown, who battled the previous City Council when he was a private citizen about Wal-Mart's plans to build here, clarified Wednesday that he holds no ill will towards Wal-Mart officials. "We discussed my concerns and they have done their very best to address each issue that I presented to them," Brown said in a press release issued Wednesday. "Wal-Mart has already begun to make some civic donations to the school system and the city for which we are very grateful. I am looking forward to continued good relations." As a citizen, Brown fought against Wal-Mart, as did others, worried about increased traffic in the area, increased crime and the potential damage to local small businesses. But the City Council approved the site plan for Wal-Mart against the wishes of the planning commission on a 3-2 vote. Brown still contends council acted inappropriately since the state Department of Transportation didn't approve the company's traffic mitigation plan. But at that November 2000 meeting, several council members cited the opinion of the city's traffic consultant that the new traffic mitigation plan would allow the Wal-Mart store to meet the city's traffic ordinance. "Three of the members of the City Council were insistent upon voting the same night the material had been presented without allowing ample time to review all the documentation and verify the claims made," Brown said in the press release. But that's all in the past and Wal-Mart is here, Brown noted. "I truly appreciate Wal-Mart's attempts at addressing my concerns and their desire to be a good corporate neighbor," Brown said. "I can assure you that we will both be working diligently on building a good relationship because there is a great deal at stake."
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