Residents mobilze efforts to oppose Wal-Mart plans

Gregg's Landing residents are mobilizing efforts to oppose a Wal-Mart SuperCenter as part of the commercial development fronting Milwaukee Avenue, north of Gregg's Landing.

 

The latest action has the 1,200 home community divided into neighborhood districts-- or precincts -- with a captain assigned to each, reported David Oppenheim, a pediatrician who resides in the Pointe neighborhood.

Oppenheim has created the Web site, www.stopgreggswalmart.com, to draw attention to the change in Bradford Group development plans submitted to Vernon Hills on June 5. The changes included a 210,000-square foot Wal-Mart SuperCenter -- nearly double the size of the current store on Route 60.

This drew the ire of Gregg's Landing residents, who say the nation's largest retailer should instead concentrate efforts at remodeling its older store on Route 60.

Vernon Hills is also using the Internet as a tool to inform residents of any further Wal-Mart contact. The village Web site (www.vernonhills.org) provides weekly updates relating to the Wal-Mart proposal along with early concept plans that have not been formally reviewed by the Village Board or staff. An explanation of a tentative review process is also shown along with the intention to post frequently asked questions.

"These plans along with information on the Cuneo Annexation Agreement, zoning and other information from the annexation of Gregg's Landing have been posted on our Web site to allow everyone to have easy access to the various documents which govern all property within Gregg's Landing," the village stated.

Throughout the process, Vernon Hills has encouraged public comment via e-mail.

"All comments will be assembled and forwarded to the President and Village Board and the Planning and Zoning Commission for their review," officials said.

Oppenheim said a meeting scheduled on July 18 had to be moved from Flatlander's Restaurant in Lincolnshire to the larger Infinity Restaurant across the street to accommodate more than 90 people who showed up to oppose the Wal-Mart plan.

"Our goal was to talk about the development issues --and our Web site --and to get everyone active," Oppenheim said. "This way, we'll be ready when and if the Wal-Mart proposal returns to Vernon Hills."

The Greggs Landing Web site also has links to other protesting groups, including GreshamFirst. The Oregon community organization lobbied against Wal-Mart to cause the retailer to abandon plans to build a Wal-Mart SuperCenter after being rejected by Gresham officials.

If and when the Wal-Mart proposal returns to Vernon Hills, officials indicate they are willing to find an alternate site for the meeting that would accommodate the large group of opponents.

Village officials were taken by surprise with Bradford Group's announcement of the Wal-Mart interest as they expected the developer to bring in smaller, higher-end retail development in a pedestrian-friendly setting. This commercial scenario was reflected as ideal development for Gregg's Landing in the planning consultant study authored by Rolf C. Campbell, Inc., of Lake Bluff.

Bradford also proposed a larger dealership by AutoNation, the parent company of Libertyville Toyota, which has more than 350 dealerships in the United States.