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They have only one goal: keep Wal-Mart out

Concerned residents, most of them from Brighton Bay, don't want the major retailer in their neighborhood.

By JON WILSON
Published February 13, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - Residents of a far-north city subdivision have collected $5,000, retained a lawyer and hired a traffic engineer to fight a proposed Gandy Boulevard Wal-Mart Supercenter.

The goal is straightforward: stop the store from being built, said Sonya March, spokeswoman for Concerned Citizens for Gandy Boulevard.

The group, which includes mostly Brighton Bay residents, has been in contact with other organizations that have a history of opposing Wal-Mart stores.

"I wouldn't characterize it that people are resigned to this Wal-Mart Supercenter. In fact, there's a wide coalition of various people who for various reasons are extremely upset about it," said Darden Rice, a Sierra Club regional representative in St. Petersburg.

"We're putting together a campaign to put together a coalition," Rice said.

Plans emerged last year for a Wal-Mart Supercenter on about 27 acres across Gandy Boulevard from Derby Lane, the greyhound race track. The proposal has not come before any city boards.

The Environmental Development Commission, which approves or disapproves big projects like a Wal-Mart store, would have first crack. Its decisions can be appealed to the City Council. A hearing date has not been set.

If the Gandy Wal-Mart is built, it will become the fourth Wal-Mart in south Pinellas County. The most recent one, a 207,000-square-foot supercenter, opened three weeks ago on 34th Street S. That one proceeded with token opposition from residents.

In 1998, the city turned down a Wal-Mart proposed for 54th Avenue S after residents complained and zoning issues couldn't be resolved.

Plans call for the Gandy store to be about 203,000 square feet, said Eric Brewer, Wal-Mart's community affairs manager for Florida.

The Gandy citizens group opposes Wal-Mart partly because the site is within 5 miles of several other major retail centers, such as Target, Kmart, Home Depot and Office Depot. Residents cite increased traffic another big development would bring. They worry about environmental issues and potential increases in crime.

It's possible history could emerge as another issue. The site is about 2 miles from a major American Indian archaeological site on Weedon Island and about 5 miles from the Moog Midden Indian burial site near St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport. Some archaeologists have speculated whether artifacts exist on the Wal-Mart site.

March, a former Air Force pilot and a candidate last year for the U.S. Senate, said her group is trying to make businesses and other residents aware of the project and its possible impact.

"Part of our strategy is to get more people involved and get more organized," she said.

Concerned Citizens for Gandy meets at 7 p.m. every Wednesday at the Coves apartments in Brighton Bay, 10901 Brighton Bay Blvd. NE.

Brighton Bay Boulevard is one of the issues residents have raised. The subdivision likely would share the road with Wal-Mart customers. About 2,000 residents use the road, and estimates have suggested the retail giant could add another 8,000 vehicles daily.

St. Petersburg in 1997 annexed the land that became Brighton Bay, a relatively new development about 6 years old. Developed by Centex, Brighton Bay consists of single-family family homes, townhouses and apartments on about 150 acres.

City planners viewed the development's coming as a boost to the city's tax base. The Wal-Mart store would provide an increase.

[Last modified February 13, 2005, 01:07:16]