Wal-Mart to Begin Building in Orange

Officials at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Wednesday they are hoping to begin construction of a new store within 60 days, now that they have the approval of the City Council to move into the Mall of Orange.

Wal-Mart officials in Bentonville, Ark., the chain’s headquarters, were reviewing the final agreement for the site. But spokesman Les Copeland said the company is optimistic that it can begin tearing down the Broadway building and begin new construction within the next two months.

“Just looking at it today and discussing it with our people, we’re very optimistic,” Copeland said. “We’re very excited about the approval.”

Despite a host of conditions placed by city officials on Wal-Mart, some store opponents were little appeased Wednesday, saying the City Council ignored their concerns.

“We’re all very disappointed, although we figured they would go ahead and approve Wal-Mart,” said neighbor Sharon Rockmore. “I’m not happy with the decision, but [Wal-Mart] has every right to be there--they do have the zoning. In time, the council will see what we were talking about. It will all come to light.”

Neighboring homeowners, who have waged a vigorous campaign to keep the giant discount chain out of the mall, said they feared an increase in traffic and even crime because Wal-Marts tend to attract a large influx of people.

But City Council members, who unanimously approved the store’s site plan late Tuesday night, said the 25 conditions they attached to the approval should stem much of the concerns about traffic congestion that might occur on nearby residential streets.

The council also insisted that mall management work with the Police Department should the Wal-Mart start operating 24 hours a day.

The debate over the store grew during the last several months after neighbors learned that the Broadway, which closed in February, would not be replaced with another similar department store. They accused city officials of foisting a “discount mecca” on their neighborhood.

“If this were in Old Towne, believe me, this would not be an issue,” Carole Walters of the Orange Taxpayers Assn. said Wednesday. “It’s been one-sided from Day One. The council did not listen to us. It’s not property rights, it’s what’s going in there and how it’s going to impact the neighbors.”

But city attorneys and planners told the council Tuesday night that the zoning was proper for the store and that the council could only deny permission on narrow grounds having to do with design, traffic and similar issues.

Those were the reasons the Planning Commission used in its denial in early August, but the city staff said the plan for the store had been modified since then.

Harry Newman Jr., general manager of the mall, reiterated that department stores such as Macy’s had spurned the mall’s advances because they already have stores in the area.

Wal-Mart was the best option because it is expected to bring about $800,000 in sales tax to the city, he said.