Pittsfield approves Wal-Mart accord

Pittsfield approves Wal-Mart accord

Agreement ensures store will adhere to site plan, obligations

BY JOHN MULCAHY

News Staff Reporter

The Pittsfield Township Board of Trustees unanimously authorized the township supervisor and clerk Wednesday to sign a development agreement with Wal-Mart for its store to be built at the corner of State Road and US-12.

The action came one day after voters rejected a recall attempt against Supervisor James Walter, Clerk Feliziana Meyer and Treasurer Christina Lirones.

The recall effort was sparked largely by opposition to the Wal-Mart store.

About a dozen people attended the meeting, and three of them congratulated the three officials on their success in Tuesday’s election. Among those offering congratulations was Barbara Cole, a volunteer for A New Pittsfield, the group that sponsored the recall.

“I hope that this can be a time of healing for our township so that we can move forward,” Cole said.

She urged the officials to keep foremost in mind the safety of students at two public schools on the other side of State Road from the Wal-Mart, and at a private school south of the intersection of State Road and US-12.

One of the recall backers’ main arguments was that Wal-Mart traffic would pose a danger to the students.

Wal-Mart received site plan approval for the store in February.

Lirones said Wal-Mart has already signed the development agreement. It guarantees for the township that Wal-Mart will adhere to the approved site plan and any other agreements the company made in connection with the development.

“This is merely ratifying the bonds and letters of credit that have already been given to the township,” Lirones said.

The meeting Wednesday took about 15 minutes.

John Mulcahy can be reached at jmulcahy@annarbornews.com or (734) 994-6858.