WINFIELD, W.Va. — The Putnam County Board of Zoning Appeals approved a controversial permit allowing Walmart to build a Neighborhood Market on Route 34 in Teays Valley.
After the 3-1 vote Thursday night, the board attached several conditions, such as limiting the store’s hours from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Many residents stormed out angrily following the approval.
John Michael Cassell, a Charles Town attorney representing the “Keep the Promise Coalition” that has opposed the store for months, promised an appeal in circuit court.
“One would think (the conditions) are illogical and unreasonable and that’s exactly what we’ll tell the circuit court,” Cassell said. “It doesn’t make sense. If they don’t like the project and those kinds of issue, then they shouldn’t have voted for it.”
The burden of proof was on Bencor Inc., the group that would build the Walmart, to show eight criteria to earn the special use permit. A Department of Highways traffic study weighed heavy in the majority’s decision to vote permit.
Board president Stephen Sluss, who votes only in the case of ties, said the matter was far from finished.
“I understand their frustrations and I appreciate it,” Sluss said. “I’m not surprised at their anger. They’ll have an opportunity on appeal. They have a very good attorney, as does Bencor. I’ll be curious to see how this turns out on the appeal.”
Rarely in his tenure on the Putnam County BZA had a group of residents taken such an interest in a zoning matter, Sluss said. Some of those residents, like Tim Hill, were furious.
“This is obviously a court who is not taking care of its community and voting the way the community wants it to vote,” he said. “It is voting on the way it wants to, to put more money in their pocket. I don’t know what’s going on up there with all these people, but something was done underhanded in my opinion.”
Kevin Thompson, Walmart’s director of relations and public affairs, was pleased with the decision despite some of the conditions.
“A lot of them are things we’re happy to live with and we think make good sense as good neighbors,” Thompson said. “There are a few others we’ll have to go back and see how they work from our standpoint as a retailer. We’re pleased with the board’s action. They went through a very deliberate and thoughtful approach.”
The 43,000-square-foot grocery store would be West Virginia’s first Neighborhood Market.
Thompson suggested most of the community favored the store, though the vocal opposition made its point. The old courtroom of the Putnam County Courthouse was filled with residents who fought the store for months. Tom Susman, who represented “Keep the Promise,” thought there was still hope based on the hearing.
“There are members who voted for it who indicated in the discussion that it didn’t meet the criteria,” Susman protested. “I think this is going to go to appeal, a circuit judge is going to look at the evidence and I don’t think that store will ever be built in Teays Valley.”