I think some of you have a have an incorrect interpretation of my views on Wal-Mart. I do not hate them. To some extent, they have a function. If someone cannot afford to shop somewhere else then they need to shop somewhere, right? Our decision to move further out was based on the ability to either afford 2/1 w/ 1200 SqFt in a high-crime area or 4/3 home w/2000 SqFt in a low-crime area for the same amount of money. We do not enjoy the commute, but we make it to live in a better environment. Why is that so bad?
And it is not the existence of Wal-Mart that bothers me, but that they are taking the Waffle House approach and putting one at every exit on the interstate. If someone is traveling by car (no bus routes out by me) then is it all that difficult to take one exit up/down the interstate instead of a Wal-Mart on every exit?
And yes, I do see this as being a bad thing as it was not really made known to those in the area unless you proactively monitored every project submission the county had to make note on. This meant that no one in the area was consulted as to whether 'they' wanted the Wal-Mart in the first place. And yes, at least one county commissioner remarkably owns one of the largest grading companies in the state--coincidence? Maybe convenient.
Anyway, its one thing if they went public with the 'idea' and asked those living in the area if they 'wanted' a WM on every exit and in particularly at this exit, but surprisingly they didn't. Not only that but no signs of a zoning change, which was necessary, didn't even get publicly posted (as required) until after they already graded the area. And with talking with several neighbors in the area, they all do not want it.
BTW, I do not live or use the country club. I do not drive an SUV or luxury vehicle. I do carpool in order to better afford (financially) the commute. And a devaluation on personal property is not going to be offset by WM pricing. I've got four neighbors already posting resale signs as a result of this, and in a subdivision not even finished. I took the WM invasion as rumor a couple of weeks ago, but its not rumor anymore.