At last night's ANA meeting, the Executive Committee voted unanimously to file a lawsuit against the City for approving the Northcross site plan that includes a Wal-Mart Supercenter. As ANA has stated all along, we are concerned the development will create significant traffic problems, negatively impact surrounding businesses, and ultimately change the character of the area.
At the meeting, Allan McMurty, on behalf of the ANA Northcross
redevelopment committee, recommended that ANA file a lawsuit against
the City for violation of its own ordinance with regard to the approval process. ANA's attorney, Bruce Bigelow, Blazier,
Christensen, Bigelow & Virr, PC, was present at the meeting and
discussed our legal options as well as responded to questions from
members of the Executive Committee and those in attendance.
ANA has spent considerable time and money these past 6 months researching the impact the
development will have on the neighborhood. We requested the city
conduct an independent traffic impact analysis that includes the impact
it will have on neighborhood streets, submitted an in-depth list of
concerns related to the development, met with city council members,
contracted with an outside traffic engineering firm to conduct a peer
review of the initial traffic impact analysis (TIA), met with city
staff, and sent a letter to city council members. We asked the city
council to revoke the site plan in hopes that Allandale's concerns
would be given due consideration when a new site plan was resubmitted.
We were unssuccessful.
On Tuesday, the City approved Lincoln Property's second site plan. The
developer is free to move forward with construction on the site.
Consequently, ANA's only recourse is to file suit against the City in
effort to get the site plan revoked.
We appreciate all of the hard work and support ANA has received from
volunteers and donors. I regret to report that it's not over and that
we will need to turn to you for more.
For a complete background on efforts to date regarding the Northcross redevelopment, go here. We will be posting a press release to the website regarding the lawsuit once it's filed.
Tom Linehan
Allandale Neighborhood Association
