We don’t want Wal-Mart here

by Linda Redding

The citizens of Littleton do not want a Wal-Mart next to the South Platte River corridor. Why? Wal-Mart’s business ethics do not fit Littleton’s community and the reasons many of us have chosen to live and raise families here. Wal-Mart has a history of driving out local business, building mega-stores within miles of each other (there are three other Wal-Marts within seven miles of the proposed site), closing stores within a few years of opening and leaving the spot vacant after enjoying local tax breaks, utilizing questionable product procurement practices and viewing the payment of environmental fines as simply a “cost of doing business.” (Visit www.walmartwatch.org and www.stopwalmart.org for more information.) This is not the type of business that fits in our community.

A grass roots organization, Littleton Against Wal-Mart (LAW) is fighting to stop this proposed development.

We are a diverse group of concerned citizens who love Littleton’s quality of life and community and have a deep appreciation for the city’s South Platte Park.

City leaders and residents alike have worked hard to create our unique environment. The City of Littleton has long been concerned about and focused on preserving the natural tranquility of the South Platte River corridor. From the 1960s, when Littleton citizens and legislators caused Federal legislation to be passed initiating the creation of South Platte Park (a precedent-setting floodplain park), to the city’s current support of the Mary Carter Greenway Trail, Littleton has an extensive history of preserving our distinct, hometown setting.

Is it now clear that the City of Littleton is thoroughly altering its vision of our community’s future? Zoning at the proposed site – currently residential and suburban agriculture – would have to be changed drastically to allow Wal-Mart to build. This proposed plan does not meet the city’s own South Platte River Corridor Development Design Objectives that were adopted by the Planning Commission in February of 2000: “The Planning Commission reached a consensus that this corridor, as one of the last developable areas in Littleton, must be developed in a highly sensitive manner. The proximity to the South Platte Park exemplifies this issue due to South Suburban Park and the Recreation District’s desire to preserve the wildlife habitat.”

A 24/7 business operation on the proposed site will radically disturb the serenity and beauty of South Platte Park and along the Greenway Trail. As residents of Littleton, are we ready to sit back and watch as the damaging impacts of around-the-clock operations (noise pollution, traffic congestion, light pollution, drainage issues, etc.) negatively affect our community’s crown jewel, until it becomes unrecognizable as the natural oasis it once was?

And it’s more than just Wal-Mart’s harmful environmental impact that threatens our community. The City of Littleton has recently been emphasizing “economic gardening” (a concept which aims to develop locally-owned businesses who hire local residents) as a natural extension of our community’s values into the economic sector. How does inviting a “big box” store to build on prime city property embrace local ownership and employment as emphasized by the city’s initiatives?

We understand that the City of Littleton sees dollar signs when it looks at Wal-Mart. But at what cost to our community’s future? There can be no guarantees with Wal-Mart. No assurance of increased revenue for the city, increased jobs for Littleton residents and increased commerce for local businesses. The only guarantee Wal-Mart will bring is that of decreasing Littleton’s quality of life and an irreparable loss of the true spirit of our neighborhood. Preserve our Park – Preserve our Community.

Linda Redding
Littleton Against Wal-Mart