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Planning Commission hearing on Wal-Mart Supercenter set for Sept. 24
The Lodi Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Sept. 24 on the long-planned and frequently debated Wal-Mart Supercenter project.
The hearing is a precursor to the City Council's final vote on the project, expected later this fall. Commissioners are expected to vote on several yet-to-be drafted city conditions for approval, including how much Wal-Mart will be required to contribute as part of a "Downtown investment," plus what Wal-Mart will be required to do with its existing store at Sunwest Plaza, city spokesman Jeff Hood said.
Commissioners are also expected to recommend whether the council should approve the project's final revised environmental impact report, which was released by the city Tuesday.
The council will have a final say on that report and hear any potential appeal of the commission's decisions on conditions for approval.
The 226,000-square-foot retail and grocery store is the largest of 13 buildings proposed for the Lodi Shopping Center. It would sit at the southwest corner of Lower Sacramento Road and Kettleman Lane.
On the Web
The final environmental report is available at www.lodi.gov under the category "For Public Review." Click on "Lodi Shopping Center, Final EIR" to read the document.If you have concerns or reactions to the final environmental report, contact News-Sentinel reporter Chris Nichols at (209) 369-7035 or chrisn@lodinews.com.
A San Joaquin County Superior Court judge in 2005 overturned Lodi's initial approval of the Supercenter project, ruling an earlier environmental report was insufficient.
The report released Tuesday includes information on how Wal-Mart will be required to compensate for a loss of farmland. It also includes responses from the city to comments regarding a draft of the revised environmental report, released last fall. It does not include information on how much Wal-Mart will be required to pay for a "Downtown investment" or what to do with the existing store.
City staff will draft those conditions prior to the commission meeting, Hood said.
Contact reporter Chris Nichols at chrisn@lodinews.com.

Reader Feedback
Lodian wrote on Sep 3, 2008 11:53 PM:
dogs4you: I think you need to do a recount. You cannot say that "all" people want a Super Wal-Mart. That's simply not true. "
hammerhead83 wrote on Aug 31, 2008 6:27 PM:
edumacation wrote on Aug 27, 2008 9:38 PM:
edumacation wrote on Aug 27, 2008 9:34 PM:
T & C wrote on Aug 27, 2008 6:49 PM:
T & C wrote on Aug 27, 2008 6:47 PM:
T & C wrote on Aug 27, 2008 6:45 PM:
Observer wrote on Aug 27, 2008 5:06 PM:
sam wrote on Aug 27, 2008 4:49 PM:
Now the CC's proposal sounds as silly as it really is. "
TC Attacks wrote on Aug 27, 2008 4:23 PM:
Observer wrote on Aug 27, 2008 3:40 PM:
dogs4you wrote on Aug 27, 2008 3:20 PM:
TandC wrote on Aug 27, 2008 1:54 PM:
Comments on this story are now closed.