Wal-Mart issue tabled

LITTLE FALLS -- Rezoning property to allow for a Wal-Mart Super Center was tabled Monday by the Little Falls City Council.

At issue is a request to rezone 24 acres of property off Highway 10 near the Highway 27 exit north of the Country Inn and Suites from agricultural to a non-central business district. The council decided it needed further time to review the request before making a decision Monday.

The council will vote on the rezoning at its Dec. 6 meeting. The city has 60 days from the date of the written request to either approve or reject the zoning request, according to state law. The request was made on Oct. 22 from Neil, Patricia and Mary Lou Thesing.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has a purchase agreement with the Thesings for the land. If the zoning request is approved by the city, it would allow for a superstore to be built on the property.

The superstore would be 203,816 square feet and would include groceries, a liquor store, an auto center, a gas station and a pharmacy with a drive-up window.

If the zoning request is approved and if Wal-Mart meets all the conditional use requirements, the super center could open by 2007. This superstore would replace the existing Wal-Mart, city officials said.

JENNIFER STOCKINGER can be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851.