Preservationists Say Wal-Mart Battle Not Over

The Orange County Board of Supervisors in Virginia voted 4-1 early this morning to approve a special use permit that will allow Wal-Mart to build a super center close to the National Park Service's Wilderness Battlefield. In a statement released today, the Civil War Preservation Trust said the vote was a "setback for preservationists" but added, "this battle is not over yet."

Trust president Jim Lighthizer called on Wal-Mart to reconsider its decision to build within the footprint of the Wilderness Battlefield, near Fredericksburg, pointing to what he called, "nationwide anger generated by its proposal."





"The ball is now in Wal-mart's court," he said. "It's in the corporation's best interest to work with the preservation community to find an alternative site. ...We are optimistic that company officials will see the wisdom of moving somewhere else."

That doesn't sound likely, according to Wal-Mart regional spokesman Keith Morris. In an interview he said, "Two years ago, the county decided this site was one where growth should occur. We have looked at alternative sites and there are other sites but they require rezoning. There is no guarantee the county would approve another site."

Morris pointed to the county planning commission's second and little-noticed Aug. 20 4-3 vote that reversed a decision of the night before, when that commission deadlocked on the issue. A deadlock is considered a negative vote. Morris said that second vote was an indication of the county's strong interest in seeing the store built at the proposed site.

There is a possibility that the Trust, as the lead organization of the Wilderness Coalition, will turn to the courts and appeal the board's decision. Officials are debating their next step now.



