Buckhead Walmart vote set for Monday

ATLANTA — Atlanta officials are set to weigh in on a controversial plan to introduce the first Walmart store in Buckhead.

The City Council will vote Monday afternoon on whether to approve rezoning of a vacant 21-acre lot on Piedmont Road and Lindbergh Drive.

A developer wants to build about 200,000 square feet of retail space, to include possibly a Walmart and more than 200 apartments near the Lindbergh MARTA station. The Walmart would be placed behind a Target and Home Depot, but residents said they don't want another big box store.

Area neighborhoods have formed a website to fight the proposal called SaveLindbergh.org. They want the area to be residential with affordable housing.

"Why are we displacing the little affordable housing that we have in this area in return for a superstore?" Garden Hills resident Bill Bozarth said.

City officials believe they've addressed the concern, tacking on a condition last week for the project to provide affordable housing for seniors.

"We're not losing large demographics. We've actually even added some element of affordable housing as a condition to the approval on site," Atlanta City Councilman
Ivory Young said.

In addition, Young suggested the Walmart will bring affordable shopping.

"Quality food is quality food, and I think everybody, in these tight times economic times,
are looking for cost saving measures, and I think this provides an alternative," Young said.

The City Council was scheduled to vote on the issue several weeks ago, but that was delayed. The council is scheduled to vote at 1 p.m.

WSBTV