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City Council Approves Rezoning For New Southern Fayetteville Walmart

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) – The Fayetteville City Council voted tonight to bring a Walmart Neighborhood Market to southern Fayetteville. The decision came after...

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) - The Fayetteville City Council voted tonight to bring a Walmart Neighborhood Market to southern Fayetteville.

The decision came after heated debate over the store`s location at Tuesday’s (Dec. 16) council meeting.

“I really appreciate the mayor, and our city council, for making a tough decision,” said Thad Hanna, an owner of some of the land which will be rezoned for the Walmart.

Hanna says he is one of the many who is pleased with the approval of a new Walmart Neighborhood Market.

The sale of land for the new location, which will be alongside Martin Luther King Blvd., between Hill and School avenues, has already been negotiated.

“We have a contract that was pending the rezoning,” Hanna said.

Hanna says he isn`t sure why so many were opposed to the new Walmart.

“That is the million dollar question,” Hanna said. “I don`t really know, it really is beyond comprehension. Because, it makes sense. It brings jobs to Fayetteville. It takes it from an industrial area to a consumer area.”

Others, like Sonia Davis-Gutierrez, made sure to be at tonight`s meeting to explain why they were opposed.

“A big concern is that, having a large entity in that area, is going to make an enormous amount of vehicle traffic,” Davis-Gutierrez said.

Davis-Gutierrez says that residents desired a more pedestrian-friendly facility.

“The people that live in that area really want to maintain that local, small town, walk feel,” Davis-Gutierrez said.

She says she felt this proposal discouraged that.

“That kind of creates a less safe area for people to walk,” Davis-Gutierrez said.

Now that the council approved the proposal, in a 4-3 vote, residents in southern Fayetteville will soon have themselves a new grocery option.

“I`m hoping the get going pretty quickly,” Hanna said.

Some council members proposed pushing the vote back until January 20th.

Ultimately, the majority favored voting on the issue Tuesday.

Hanna says it is now up to Walmart to decide when they want to break ground.

Walmart released a statement following the decision.

“We are pleased by the results of tonight’s vote by the city council and their support of the new Walmart Neighborhood Market,” said Michael Lindsey, Director of Walmart Public Affairs. “We believe the convenience and everyday low prices that we will offer will be well received in the community.  We look forward to working with the city of Fayetteville to finalize our design and plans.”

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