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Company officials confirmed Thursday they're moving forward with plans to build a Supercenter on the Anclote River.
"This is a site we continue to work on. There's no change in its status," said Wal-Mart spokeswoman Quenta Vettel.
Earlier this year, it appeared Wal-Mart had hit another roadblock in its four-year battle to build the store, when the city's Board of Adjustment ruled that changes to the company's site plan constituted major modifications. That meant Wal-Mart would have to go through more public hearings to gain approval.
Now, it looks like that's exactly what the company is prepared to do.
Vettel said Wal-Mart officials were still outlining their strategy. But she confirmed they were in the final stages of gaining approval for a permit from the Southwest Florida Water Management District, commonly known as Swiftmud, that would allow for dredging and filling 570 square feet of wetlands at the site to install a northbound turn lane from U.S. 19.
Swiftmud confirmed the application is complete and should be finalized in the coming weeks.
"We feel that the project meets our ERP (environmental resource permit) criteria. It has very minimal impacts to the environment. It didn't require any mitigation under our rules," said Swiftmud spokeswoman Robyn Felix. "They're actually doing quite a bit of work with shoreline enhancements that we're pleased with."
The enhancements include planting upland buffer vegetation and mangroves and installing a fishing line recycling box for anglers.
Opponents urged Swiftmud to deny the application, saying the wetland dredging of publicly held land would "degrade the (aquatic) preserve" and doesn't serve as a "public necessity," as required by the Florida administrative code.
"I don't see how this is in the public's best interest," said Dory Larsen, president of Concerned Citizens of Tarpon Springs, which opposes the project.
Larsen said she doesn't believe the proposed shoreline plantings will offset those lost during the dredging and filling process.
"It's disgusting that they would say they're improving the environment when they're going to put a 200,000-square-foot store on a pristine piece of land," she said.
Larsen said she encouraged local residents to contact Swiftmud to express their disapproval.
Though Wal-Mart Stores Inc. recently announced plans to reduce its fiscal 2009 capital spending forecast by hundreds of millions of dollars, that decision has no bearing on the Tarpon Springs project, Vettel said.
Rita Farlow can be reached at farlow@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4162.
[Last modified: Jun 28, 2008 09:07 PM]
Comments on this article
by mike
Jun 28, 2008 9:07 PM
funny,this is the first plot of land going south in pinellas county,and has been undeveolped for all these years.Leave it in its natural state.A wetland for God's sake!Enuff already Wally world!It's not nice to fool with Mother Nature!!
by Rich
Jun 28, 2008 11:06 AM
Just what Pinellas needs..more fat people in fannie packs buying chinese junk.
by Karlie
Jun 27, 2008 6:31 PM
If everybody would simply just boycott Wal-Mart, they wouldn't have the revenue to keep expanding. Buying imported cheap junk at Wal-Mart only devalues the American economy. Destroying wetlands is destructing the food chain from the bottom up.
by Doc
Jun 27, 2008 9:57 AM
Enough w/the Wal-Mart dispute. With Amendment 1, the city is in NEED of any tax revenue it can generate. Just ask any of our public safety/utility employees what’s happening “behind the scenes” out of public view and earshot.The truth will scare you!
by JM
Jun 27, 2008 9:45 AM
I wonder who Wal-mart will pay off now?Why in the world do we need another Wal -mart.You can bet i will be at the next hearings to protest.
by Murf
Jun 27, 2008 9:45 AM
Once again our natural resources and precious wetlands take a beating from the very agencies that are supposed to protect them. More proof that in Florida it is government of the developer, by the developer, for the developer.
by Wolf
Jun 27, 2008 9:44 AM
Swiftmud and the Army "Whores" of Engineering - never met a piece of asphalt they didn't love. As if we need another Whale Mart anywhere in Florida (there are 7 within 10 miles of Tarpon Springs). Gee, I can't wait to see the money trail on this one!
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