As I suspected, the SD Supreme Court upheld the circuit court’s decision to allow the zoning for a 4th Walmart in Sioux Falls;
The South Dakota Supreme Court has upheld a lower court’s decision, allowing the annexation of land into the city which is now slated for a Walmart store.The appellants are a group of residents near the site calling themselves Save Our Neighborhood. The group has argued that the land annexation was illegal because the city didn’t first get Lincoln County’s approval.
It was a long shot to begin with, but worth it. But this isn’t the end of the fight. Besides the fact that drainage is a serious issue in that neighborhood, as we saw this past week, there was another court filing by the SON group. Shortly after the election, SON filed a suit contesting the misleading ballot language. One of the main complaints was the mention of Walmart in the language. The ballot question was about re-zoning, not about Walmart specifically. The re-zone would allow any kind of large retailer to build there. In fact, as I understand it, Walmart only has a purchase agreement with the Homan family. If Walmart isn’t granted a building permit, they will have no financial obligation to purchase the land.
The city has yet to respond to the ballot language suit, or at least I have not seen anything in the media about it. Since WM won today, I wonder if they will ask the city to issue them a building permit (the only thing WM has left to do). Or will the city respond to the suit first? Of course that would require fairness and common sense from the city attorney’s office.
One can only guess what this Planning Department, Mayor and City Attorney will do, but I can guarantee whatever it is, it won’t be in the best interest of the SON neighborhood or the citizens of Sioux Falls.
Save Spellerberg!
Save my neighborhood!
Save our neighborhood!
Save your neighborhood!
SAVE MY SPECIAL INTERESTS!!
It’s going to be such an ugly area when done. Only cool walmart was a market store in an older bldg in a large city they are such a sucky neighbor that wtf is wrong with Jeff Schmitt and mike cooper concocting a frickn plan that would damage so many single family homes and whythis zoning interpretation had to happen here it does not exist anywhere else in the city like it will here. Go to Minneapolis and most any other city like that and you go along and see same stores same food you think our goofs had a good plan but they are lazy. Thanks a clowns
The fat lady sung in April by over 70%. If SF has to revote on this issue because of ballot language (which they won’t) the same results will happen.
As for drainage, Minnesota toward Audie is the highest part of that stretch west, Grange is where the low point is. Walmart will bring in fill to make their store more visible anyway. It will be the highest point in that neighborhood.
Slew, thanks for pointing that out! That is why the neighbors are concerned, all that water pouring off of that gigantic parking lot scares the crap out of them. The city refused to acknowledge drainage studies.
Titleist
I’ve always been curious about your potential connection to any “special interest” swim group, swim team or other.
When those homes were built the city and developers made an informal promise there’d be no nearby commercial development. Yes, there’s no legal stand. Proof again that the city of Sioux Falls is not to be trusted.
Mikey’s lost a lot of votes for governor. I’m hoping each homeowner challenges their property tax valuation. A lesson here is that when you move further out, move far enough away so you’ll not be annexed.
I think the idiots, Mike Cooper and Jeff Schmitt decided to play along with the developers philosophy of concentration of buildings. George Soros Agenda XXI You can make a lot more money with apartments than you do single family homes, and no individual land owners. Seems as though the shape places just let them be lazy idiots, and drive single family homes to the burbs. One can only hope the low income people having to rent apartments from the likes of Huether, RMB, and Lloyd properties put the smart phones down, and get away from the TV set to see that they could do something to effect change, not just be so miserable in an apt and think a Walmart is the cats meow, but really want to do more. I have not been in a Walmart or a Sams for over a year, don’t plan on going back to one. I like Lewis, hyvee, safeway and Costco. I don’t like giving money to the creeps from Bentonville, lousy neighbors they will be. I must be a lousy neighbor to them too. I can do that for the a clowns.
I guess being a lousy neighbor to them will be to not buy anything from them. Maybe I can sell the back of my house to peddle target ads or the pesky dollar stores I love and walmart can’t compete against
Oldslewfoot: Exactly! The problem is already worse than when we moved here 6+ yrs ago since the road is sinking. What I don’t understand is why Lincoln County doesn’t put its foot down and demand better drainage. Then they wouldn’t have to raise taxes To fix the flooded roads.