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Tarpon Panel To Hear Wal-Mart Site Plan

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By Mark  Schantz | The Suncoast News

Published: September 22, 2008

TARPON SPRINGS - The city Planning and Zoning Board will hear Wal-Mart's request to amend the site plan for the retailer's proposed 203,077-square-foot Supercenter on U.S. 19 near Beckett Way.

The Planning and Zoning Board, which meets at 7 p.m. tonight will make its recommendation to the City Commission. Commissioner will make a final determination on Oct. 21.

Several environmentalists, including members of Concerned Citizens of Tarpon Springs, a group adamantly opposing the development of the discount store-supermarket combo, plan to tell the board the Supercenter should not be built in an environmentally sensitive area abutting the Anclote River.

Wal-Mart officials told the city proposed modifications to its existing site plan involve minor reshaping of the building's footprint and parking lot area, including reconfiguration of a bus stop to prevent loss of wetlands.

Environmentalists argue the modification creates new wetland impacts that should be considered.

City Attorney James Yacavone has recommended the Planning Board only consider those portions of the site plan that Wal-Mart is proposing to change. The parts of the plan a Circuit Court judge has ruled are valid should not be reconsidered, the attorney has said.

Check http://suncoastnews.tbo.com/pinellas/ for a report on the Planning and Zoning Board meeting.

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