Two Front Range cities have given the thumbs-up to controversial Wal-Mart proposals after separate, marathon city council meetings.
The Longmont City Council voted 6-1 on Tuesday night to approve the city’s second Wal-Mart Supercenter, as well as a Sam’s Club to be built adjacent to the store. The stores will be built on the southeast corner of Colorado 119 and County Line Road on a parcel of land that has long been zoned for big-box retail.
But critics of the proposal – who numbered several dozen at the meeting – argued that placing the mammoth stores there would mar vistas from the adjacent Sandstone Ranch open space.
“Many, many years ago, people had the vision to talk about open space,” Longmont resident Sarah Levison, a critic of the store proposals, said Wednesday. “It becomes not open any more if you put something intensive next to it.”
Another hearing about a proposed Wal-Mart, this one in Broomfield, took place at the same time. About 200 residents attended Tuesday night’s meeting there to protest the Wal- Mart plans.
After several hours of comments, Broomfield City Council members voted to enter into negotiations with Wal-Mart and the owners of an aging poultry plant for a development agreement.
Broomfield city leaders have long been looking to redevelop the Barber Poultry property, near 120th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard, seeing the potential to bring more money into the city.
Kevin Standbridge, Broomfield’s assistant city manager, said Tuesday’s decision was only the first step in the process and that residents would have the opportunity to comment on the proposal.
“A number of future approvals would be required for Wal-Mart to move forward on the property,” Standbridge said.
In Longmont, though, Levison said she is out of options.
“I’m exhausted by the process,” she said.
Staff writer John Ingold can be reached at 720-929-0898 or jingold@denverpost.com.
