I recently exchanged emails with a local fellow who wanted to know where things stand on this. Seems he suspected—as I had too when I first saw it—that some prep work at the next exit up toward Atlanta might mean the reporting on a new Coweta County Wal-Mart might have gotten the location wrong. As I assured him in my reply, the plan for the Wal-Mart is down here at our exit, not up there at his.
A few days later, more news:
Wal-Mart representatives made an impassioned plea before the Coweta Board of Zoning Appeals Tuesday night, asking to be allowed to use “Quik Brik” — essentially a colored concrete block — instead of actual brick for the store proposed for Ga. Hwy. 154 at Interstate 85.
Wal-Mart is requesting a variance from the county’s Quality Development Corridor overlay requirement for exterior materials. The QDC overlay states that 80 percent of the exterior of a building must be brick, stone or glass.
The Coweta County Planning Department recommended denial of the variance.»
Wal-Mart’s variance request snubbed
This is a new and different variance from the one discussed in last February’s post, and today the Times-Herald editorialized that the county commission, when it hears the later request, should heed the planning department’s recommendation. For the record, the Times-Herald editorialized against the new Wal-Mart altogether when reports of the plan first surfaced a year and a half ago.
I don’t look every day, but the last time I did look I had yet to see any site prep for the proposed store. The fact they’re seeking this variance, though, suggests it may not be long before they’ll be ready to start.
God help us. Highway 154 is already a parking lot for extended periods of time on both sides of the interstate. High-volume retail traffic will only add to the nightmare.
I don’t even want to imagine holiday shopping season with a Wal-Mart open for business over there.
Update: In comments, Prudie says this is far from a record for closest-together operating Wal-Marts. 
