Residents in the community of Florence, South Carolina have their backs to the WAL. Here’s a report filed today by area residents: ” We are in Florence, South Carolina, where one Super Center is on the east side of town, and now the smaller Wal-Mart is trying to sprawl into a residential/school area.?? This location will be directly across the street from the high school where one third of the county’s students attend. The things we found out after the annoucement last week are: 1.The land has not been closed on; it includes a financially suffering church, a farm, and the corner is borderd by a Sam’s and Loews. 2. The plan is currently in the Florence County Planning Commmission office, who we meet with tomorrow. We have been told that unless there is a serious ordinance violation they cannot deny a permit. 3. The zoning is already in place, part is zoned commercial where the existing Sam’s sits, the other part is zoned un-restricted county.?? Half the Superstore will sit on county, half on city. 4. County Councilmen told us last week they were un-aware of this project until the paper reported it this week. 5.?? We have already garnered support from the school district, school board, principal and the three surrounding neighborhoods and have advertised a meeting at the school on Tuesday night and have formed a group CR.E.D. Citizens for Responsible Economic Development and called the press. This store is to be a 225,000 sq ft Super Center between two residential suburban areas. All three neighborhoods have been galvanized and the school district and school. Also the press is coming. The plan has not been approved by the County Planning Commission, nor has the land been closed on, but an option exists on part of it owned by the church — which is most anxious to sell due to financial problems.
For local contacts in Florence, contact [email protected]. For examples of other Churches seeking to financially profit from big box developers, search this database by “church”.
