NORTH CAROLINA SITE FIGHT: WAL-MART LAND MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE

Proposed Wal-Mart crosses the line [The Morganton (N.C.) News Herald]
Land the retailer wants isn’t in the city

If Wal-Mart goes through with plans to build a super center at N.C. 126 and N.C. 181, the city will have to annex the land before it gets taxes.

After months of anti-Wal-Mart protests aimed at the city, it turns out 40 of the 48 acres Crescent Resources was going to sell to the big box conglomerate are not in the city limits.

Lee Anderson, director of development and design for Morganton, said the city would have to annex the property into its corporate limits in order to tax the business. He said officials from both Crescent and Wal-Mart indicated they wanted Morganton to annex the land.

Anderson said Crescent was waiting for approval on the project before it came to the city with an annexation request.

Inside Morganton, Wal-Mart would have cheaper sewer and water rates, get an insurance discount, have city fire and police protection and have the ability to sell alcohol, Anderson said.

While the property is not in the city limits, Anderson said Morganton’s ordinances would still apply. The city’s rules extend for a mile past the city limits, he said.

Last month, Wal-Mart withdrew its request to build a super center on the property, saying it had become too divisive an issue in upcoming city elections.

A spokeswoman said Wal-Mart was still interested in building at N.C. 126 and N.C. 181 but would try again after the elections.

City officials say Wal-Mart can come back at any time with the same rezoning request.

Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Thursday, September 06, 2007

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