The temperature is rising in Abingdon, Virginia, as residents get organized to fend off another unwanted Wal-Mart superstore in Virginia, a state that already has 9 dead Wal-Mart discount stores left behind when superstores were built. Here are two accounts submitted by local sprawl-busters: “Wal-Mart opposition forces in Abingdon, Virginia, have geared up. One facet of our opposition is a petition for citizens to express their opposition to big box development in our historic town. At this point, we see the petition being used only for presentation to Town Council as a demonstration of the size of the opposition.” The second report from Abingdon is as follows: “A group of 50 + concerned citizens met Thursday 11/14/to strategize a plan to defeat proposed Wal-Mart development off exit 14 of I 81. We have formed committees
(Legal, ordinance/zoning, public ed/outreach and fundraising). We are about to initate a petition and a letter writing campaign to the local land owners and are considering making a request for a 2nd independent more extensive traffic study.”
For more information on Abingdon, VA, contact [email protected]. See the 9/30/2002 entry on Newflash for more background on this battle, or search by “Abingdon”.
