Neighbors upset over Wal-Mart's letter to city
Members of the neighborhood group Responsible Growth for Northcross are upset about a letter Wal-Mart sent to the city of Austin last Friday.
On Monday, the group got together to respond to the letter which they see as an outright threat. (Read the letter in .pdf format here.)
"It was completely unnecessary and it's rude," member Jason Meeker said.
The letter outlines the agreement between Wal-Mart and the city of Austin on the size of the new store. New plans are to downgrade from the original 225,000 square feet to 186,000 square feet.
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"We expected Wal-Mart to come back with a size reduction. It was surprising for them to come back with a threat in the letter that announced their size reduction," Meeker said.
Wal-Mart says they plan to go through with the voluntary reduction, unless a third party takes legal action.
"In that event, we may be forced to re-evaluate the voluntary
items in the term sheet," Wal-Mart's letter said.
The neighborhood group interprets that to be a threat.
Responsible Growth for Northcross wants a public apology
from Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott and want him to visit with neighbors in person.
Wal-Mart issued a statement that says the letter was not meant as a threat, but the company says further changes may be required if the group takes legal action.