It seems there’s no rest from sprawl in the small oasis of Travelers Rest, South Carolina, now that the Arkansas Traveler has shown up. Here’s a report from the front lines: “Presently a Wal-Mart Super Center is wanting to build in our small town community. They will only build if they have enough land to put a Super Center. There is enough land at the current location in Travelers Rest to build a regular Wal-Mart. The other land surrounding the already Commercially Zoned C-2 land is the “Buffer Zone” for the surrounding neighbors. The Travelers Rest Planning Commission along with the Greenville County Planning Commission has advised that the “Buffer Zone” be left as is — Zoned Residential. The Travelers Rest City Council had decided at the first reading at the end of October to approve the re-zoning and ignore the surrounding neighborhoods and the voice of the community. They insist on believing that the Super Wal-Mart Store will bring in jobs, tax revenue and more business. In the location where Wal-Mart wants to build a Super Store, it is only 12 miles to two other Super Wal-Mart locations! The jobs that the City Council think will help this small town community are part-time positions at minimum wage with no benefits! Not to mention that this proposed site may be left “Empty” within ten years to move on to greener pastures! I am for growth but for Responsible Growth! A Big Box Retailer like Wal-Mart does NOT represent responsible growth for a community! The second reading for the final approval of the re-zoning of the Residential land will be towards the end of November. We have written and called the City Council with our concerns. We have attended the town meetings and voiced our views and the negative impact this will have on our community. We have signed petitions. We have given facts to the City Council but despite all our efforts the City Council turns their heads!”
According to a recent issue of Supermarket News, Wal-Mart Chairman Lee Scott told analysts “we’ve found we can increase the number of supercenters by putting them closer together than we ever dreamed.” Wal-Mart might call that a dream, but some residents would prefer the term ‘nightmare’. In some locations, Wal-Mart said it has placed superstores as close as three or four miles apart. For local contacts in Travelers Rest, contact [email protected]
