Lynn Haven, FL. Gets a New Supercenter and….What Else?

Potential Impact of Wal-Mart [WMBB-13 (Fla.)]

A new Wal-mart Supercenter is on its way to Lynn Haven, but what else is coming with? Some city officials are looking forward to the convenience of having the store nearby.

“It’s going to be a win-win, for everybody in Lynn Haven and outside Lynn Haven,” said Lynn Haven Mayor Walter Kelly.

“I think if we had any more traffic,” said resident Rebecca Schubb, “it would not be a good idea.”

She lives right behind the land that will become the new store, but so do about 40 children.

“A lot of children walk up to the corner from all these side-streets to catch the bus,” she said.

Wal-mart will pay more than $2 million toward road improvements and new turn lanes to alleviate traffic for the projected 200 extra drivers a day, but it’s something Schubb didn’t expect when she moved across from wetlands.  She says she has more concerns.

“When you build more houses and more businesses then you’ve got more water,” she said, “not enough land to soak up the water.”

Mayor Kelly says the city is working on these issues.  Residents are meeting with the city manager to consider speed bumps to enforce speed limits in surrounding neighborhoods.  He says even current storm-water problems may be improved by the supercenter.

“They will do all the infrastructure to include the big 6 acre retention pond,” said Kelly, “and that should be better than what it is today.”

He says while there are downsides to the growth, the store will bring in more revenue for the city and convenience to residents.

Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Thursday, April 24, 2008