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Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Partners With the National Association of Hispanic
Publications to Serve Hispanic Communities
PR Newswire
[back to top]
BENTONVILLE, Ark., March 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/
-- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and the National Association of Hispanic
Publications (NAHP) today launched a membership expansion and
professional development initiative to enroll 150 new member
publications from across the country and encourage former members to
rejoin the Association. This new effort was announced during NAHP's
Annual Convention in Las Vegas, NV.
"Hispanic publications play a vital
role in keeping their communities connected to local and national
events. But they're also a bridge to the Latin American countries that
many of their readers still call home," according to Wal-Mart's Director
of Hispanic Markets Pepe Estrada. "From civic engagement campaigns, to
homeownership information, to health fairs, and just your basic
classified ads, Hispanic publications are active members of the
communities they serve.
"Last week the Census Bureau announced
that the number of Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States grew
three times the national average between 1997 and 2002. Hispanic
publications are part of that growth. But this growth doesn't come
without the challenge to expand and increase their professional
expertise," says Estrada. "Joining NAHP will expand their capacity to
offer professional and quality information to the Hispanic community.
Wal-Mart is proud to support the efforts to serve the Hispanic community
through excellence in media."
As part of their $60,000 donation to
the program, Wal-Mart will sponsor first year dues for participating
publications as an incentive to join NAHP. The funding will also be used
by the Association to develop new membership materials, membership
management software and interactive membership tools on NAHP's website.
"We are proud to have Wal-Mart's
participation in our small business development program. Their support
will help NAHP's goals of increasing the Hispanic print professional
development and talent," said NAHP President Lupita Colmenero. "With
Wal-Mart's support and commitment NAHP will be able to offer,
particularly to small Hispanic owned publications, the opportunity to be
actively involved in programs aimed at bringing the latest information
on the industry, but most important, a glance of all the opportunities
available for Hispanic publications."
[back to top]
Wal-Mart Shows a
Similar Side to Sears
By Michael Barbaro
The New York Times
March 31, 2006
[back to top]
THE year was 1993, and Sears, Roebuck
& Company wanted to shake off its image as a testosterone-filled
department store focused on tools and lawn mowers. So its advertising
agency developed a print and television campaign featuring female
shoppers discovering, to their surprise, that the retailer stocked
fashionable clothing. The campaign had a catchy jingle: "Come see the
softer side of Sears."
Fast forward to 2006. This time, the
retailer is Wal-Mart Stores and the goal is to shake off its image as a
house of bargains for cheap laundry detergent and toilet paper.
So its agency developed a print and
television campaign featuring women discovering, to their surprise, that
the retailer stocks fashionable clothing and home furnishings. It, too,
came up with a catchy slogan: "Look beyond the basics."
A similar goal is evident in both
campaigns: to change consumers' view of the kinds of products the
retailers carry. But the similarities do not end there. Wal-Mart's
advertising campaign bears a remarkable resemblance to the Sears
campaign right down to its execution.
For its print ads, Sears chose a
two-page spread. The left page is dominated by white space, with a small
image of a household product, like a refrigerator, positioned in the
middle. On the right page is the image of a sleek leather coat or a
sundress.
A testimonial in one ad stated: "We
were looking for a refrigerator. But I found something much cooler."
For its print ads, Wal-Mart also chose
a two-page format. The left page is dominated by white space, with a
small image of a commodity product, like eye drops, in the center. On
the right page is a large image of a sleek dress or flat-screen
television.
A testimonial in one ad states: "I
went in for eye drops and found something eye opening."
If the adage is correct, perhaps Sears
should be flattered by the imitation, a common situation in advertising.
(Sears had no comment on the campaign.)
GSD&M, the agency in Austin, Tex.,
that is behind Wal-Mart's "Look beyond the basics" campaign, says it did
not work from, or even review, the Sears campaign, which was developed
by Y&R, a division of the Young & Rubicam Brands unit of the WPP Group.
Roy Spence, the president of GSD&M, a
division of Omnicom Group, said his staff "had no clue that it was even
close."
Mr. Spence said the author of the
tagline "Look Beyond the Basics" was a college student when the Sears
campaign broke in 1993. "She was more interested in sipping beer than
watching Sears ads," he said.
But Mr. Spence concedes that the two
campaigns are "scarily similar."
He attributes the resemblance to the
goals of the campaigns: to contrast what both Sears and Wal-Mart
considered to be an incomplete consumer perception (that they carried
dowdy fashions) with a more informed reality (that they had improved
their fashion offerings.)
"This campaign is like 100 campaigns
that go out every year," Mr. Spence said. "It is classic advertising
method. Here is what you thought. Here is what we want you to know."
Asked to review ads from both
companies, Adam Hanft, chief executive of Hanft Unlimited, a New York
branding and marketing firm, said the similarities were "amazing. " He
expressed surprise that Wal-Mart executives approved it.
"It is amazing that nobody in the
chain of command remembers" the Sears campaign, he said. "It was all
over the place."
Industry experts agreed that even if
the Wal-Mart ads did consciously borrow from the Sears campaign, the
most likely consequence would probably just be embarrassment over not
being more original. Though the advertising looks similar, the problems
plaguing Sears in the early 1990's and the ones Wal-Mart faces today are
not.
By 1993, Sears had earned a reputation
as a hardware store that happened to sell clothing, an image it
desperately wanted to overcome.
"Women went in on an errand but did
not view it as their store," said Stephanie Kugelman, who helped develop
the Softer Side of Sears campaign and is now vice chairman and chief
strategic officer at Young & Rubicam Brands.
Wal-Mart, on the other hand, has found
that shoppers rely on the store for household staples — food, cleansers
and paper products— even though the retailer devotes significant space
to clothing and home furnishings.
In fact, to discourage consumers from
flirting with J. C. Penney (for a cute skirt), Target (for a trendy
coffee maker) or Best Buy (for a sleek television), Wal-Mart has
significantly expanded its offerings over the last year.
There is a new line of women's
fashion, called Metro 7, and a men's line, called Exsto, is on the way;
and there are now $2,000 flat-screen televisions in the store. On
average, 100 million Americans walk into a Wal-Mart store every week, a
staggering figure that suggests the company has no trouble attracting
shoppers. "We think we can have the people already shopping us shop for
more trend," Mr. Spence said.
For Wal-Mart's perception vs. reality
campaign to work, it will have to do something that Wendy Liebmann,
president of WSL Strategic Retail, says Sears failed to do: change the
reality of its stores.
"You have to deliver in the store,"
Ms. Liebmann said. "Otherwise, consumers look at you and say, Great ad,
bad store."
Today, Sears is struggling again, not
to overcome a male image, but to attract customers of both sexes.
Since its merger with Kmart, sales at
individual Sears stores have plunged. A new print and television
advertising campaign, announced this week, will feature images of plants
sprouting vines that become Sears products — at least a subliminal nod
to the company's desire for growth.
The hopeful theme: "Spring changes
everything."
[back to top]
Wal-Mart looks for image
managers
By Michael Barbaro
The New York Times
FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2006
[back to top]
NEW YORK Wanted: two people to help
defend the largest U.S. retailer against critics. Requirements: plenty
of experience managing a crisis.
Wal-Mart Stores has begun circulating
two senior-level job postings - both in public relations - and if the
language used to describe the positions is any indication, the retailer
is on the equivalent of a war footing in its public relations battle.
One job includes "opposition
research," presumably into Wal-Mart's major critics, Wal-Mart Watch and
Wake Up Wal-Mart.
The other requires the ability to
"mobilize resources" during a crisis.
The two jobs reflect how much life has
changed at Wal-Mart, which has come under withering criticism for its
wages, health benefits and treatment of workers.
The company barely had a public
relations department in the early 1990s, but it now has a staff of
dozens, including a public relations war room staffed with former
political operatives who rebut its opponents.
The job postings, which were written
by Crowe-Innes & Associates, an executive search firm, were given to The
New York Times by Wal-Mart Watch, a group backed by unions and
foundations that is pressing Wal-Mart to improve its wages and benefits.
According to the posting for the first
job, director of media relations, the successful applicant will oversee
Wal- Mart's "crisis communications program."
Rather than simply handling phone
calls from the press, the employee must be able to help "triage" those
calls, managing messages "in rapid response mode," the wanted ad said.
Mona Williams, a spokeswoman for
Wal-Mart, said the company received hundreds of calls a day from
reporters.
And of course, the employee must be on
call "24/7" to assist with "emergency response" within the public
relations department.
The job requires 10 years' experience
in corporate communications and "proven media relationships."
The second job is senior director of
campaign management, an executive who will oversee all corporate
communications support staff and the war room.
This person, like the media relations
director, must have 10 years' experience in communications but also a
track record "addressing high-profile political activities," according
to the posting.
Candidates, it said, must "operate
successfully in a campaign mode."
One responsibility of the job is to do
research on opponents - a position usually found in political campaigns.
Another is overseeing Wal-Mart's
relations with bloggers, many of whom frequently write about the
company.
Crowe-Innes & Associates did not
respond to phone and e-mail messages seeking comment.
Both of the posted jobs, which are
based at Wal-Mart's headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, offer
"competitive base salary, bonus opportunity and stock options" as well
as an "excellent benefits package," though details are not given.
NEW YORK Wanted: two people to help
defend the largest U.S. retailer against critics. Requirements: plenty
of experience managing a crisis.
Wal-Mart Stores has begun circulating
two senior-level job postings - both in public relations - and if the
language used to describe the positions is any indication, the retailer
is on the equivalent of a war footing in its public relations battle.
One job includes "opposition
research," presumably into Wal-Mart's major critics, Wal-Mart Watch and
Wake Up Wal-Mart.
The other requires the ability to
"mobilize resources" during a crisis.
The two jobs reflect how much life has
changed at Wal-Mart, which has come under withering criticism for its
wages, health benefits and treatment of workers.
The company barely had a public
relations department in the early 1990s, but it now has a staff of
dozens, including a public relations war room staffed with former
political operatives who rebut its opponents.
The job postings, which were written
by Crowe-Innes & Associates, an executive search firm, were given to The
New York Times by Wal-Mart Watch, a group backed by unions and
foundations that is pressing Wal-Mart to improve its wages and benefits.
According to the posting for the first
job, director of media relations, the successful applicant will oversee
Wal- Mart's "crisis communications program."
Rather than simply handling phone
calls from the press, the employee must be able to help "triage" those
calls, managing messages "in rapid response mode," the wanted ad said.
Mona Williams, a spokeswoman for
Wal-Mart, said the company received hundreds of calls a day from
reporters.
And of course, the employee must be on
call "24/7" to assist with "emergency response" within the public
relations department.
The job requires 10 years' experience
in corporate communications and "proven media relationships."
The second job is senior director of
campaign management, an executive who will oversee all corporate
communications support staff and the war room.
This person, like the media relations
director, must have 10 years' experience in communications but also a
track record "addressing high-profile political activities," according
to the posting.
Candidates, it said, must "operate
successfully in a campaign mode."
One responsibility of the job is to do
research on opponents - a position usually found in political campaigns.
Another is overseeing Wal-Mart's
relations with bloggers, many of whom frequently write about the
company.
Crowe-Innes & Associates did not
respond to phone and e-mail messages seeking comment.
Both of the posted jobs, which are
based at Wal-Mart's headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, offer
"competitive base salary, bonus opportunity and stock options" as well
as an "excellent benefits package," though details are not given.
[back to top]
Wal-Mart to target 'urban"
male
By Jonathan Birchall
New York Financial Times
March 31, 2006
[back to top]
Wal-Mart, the US discount retailer,
said yesterday it will launch a range of "fashion-forward" clothing
aimed at young urban males this summer, as it continues it drive to
improve its sales performance.
The new Exsto line will be produced
for Wal-Mart by G-III Apparel, a New York based clothing company that
also produces clothing for Calvin Klein, Guess, Tommy Hilfiger and other
fashion brands.
G-III, which had annual sales last
year of $330m, saw its shares rise 12 per cent on news of the deal,
under which it will participate in design and production of what it
called "strong fashion that represents a hip, urban sensibility."
The company's sportswear division,
which will handle Exsto, has been headed since December by Jeffrey
Tweedy, formerly a senior executive at Sean John Apparel, the urban
fashion brand founded by Sean "Diddy" Combs. G-III produces outerwear
for Sean John, and has been licensed to produce a new women's wear line
for the brand.
The plans for Exsto follow Wal-Mart's
launch last September of its Metro 7 fashion line for young women. Like
Metro 7, Exsto has been developed following customer research aimed at
identifying what Andy Barron, merchandiser of general apparel, called
"gaps in our brand geography".
The new brand, he said, "mirrors the
design and quality of urban brands offered in department stores," but at
the lower prices expected from Wal-Mart".
Wal-Mart backed the launch of Metro 7
with high profile advertising in Vogue and other women's fashion
magazines.
The retailer said earlier this week
that strong demand for Metro 7 had obliged the retailer to scale back
plans to roll the brand out, from 1500 to 1300 stores by September.
Exsto will initially be released in
300 Wal-Mart stores.
Copyright The Financial Times Ltd. All
rights reserved.
[back to top]
Big-name brands in "Hall of
Shame"
By Parija Bhatnagar
CnnMoney.com
March 30, 2006
[back to top]
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Microsoft,
Wal-Mart, Ford and Gap -- four of the top iconic American brands -- have
one other attribute in common: They each blew it in 2005 when it came to
getting out their message. "There's never been a year where so many
market leaders struggled with their marketing message," said Kelly
O'Keefe, an independent branding consultant and CEO of O'Keefe Brands.
O'Keefe has published an annual
branding "Hall of Shame" for four consecutive years. He has not
published an official list for 2005, but these four companies would rank
high, he said.
"When you look at who's had branding
bloopers recently, it's those companies that have been struggling to
grow profits. They're attempting to break into new markets and making
mistakes along the way," said Robert Passikoff, branding expert with
Brand Keys Consulting.
What were they thinking?
Microsoft Is Microsoft (Research)
calling its own customers "dinosaurheads?" The idea behind Microsoft's
ads that feature office workers with heads of a dinosaur is to tell the
company's business customers that's it's time to upgrade or risk missing
out on new features and benefits.
"It's sophomoric and it doesn't work,"
said O'Keefe. "Microsoft is demeaning its own customers who are already
using its products by implying they're dinosaurheads if they don't
upgrade quickly."
Wal-Mart The giant retailer has been
on O'Keefe's bloopers list a few times. Wal-Mart's attempt to tweak its
merchandise and marketing mix to appeal to an more upscale consumer is a
mistake, he said, adding that Wal-Mart's Christmas ads this past holiday
featuring singer Beyonce at home with her family opening gifts were a
bad idea.
"Beyonce doesn't speak to Wal-Mart's
core customers," he said. "Wal-Mart's always been about low prices.
Instead of trying to be someone who they're not, Wal-Mart should refocus
on who they once were to the customer, which was a no-frills provider of
products at great prices and friendly service."
O'Keefe's other gripe is about the
disappearance of "Mr. Smiley" from Wal-Mart's ads. "The smiley face
wasn't only about low prices but it became a symbol of Wal-Mart
(Research)."
Ford The automaker made a tremendous
marketing blunder last year when the company pulled ads of some luxury
brands from Advocate magazine, a publication that caters to the gay
community, because of pressure from a conservative Christian group.
Said O'Keefe, "This in itself would
have a big negative impact on the gay community. But what's worse is
Ford (Research) flip-flopped and decided to put the ads back. So Ford
essentially risked alienating potential customers on both sides of the
issue."
Ford's recent marketing message
focuses on emphasizing innovation at the company while earlier it said
it stood for quality. "Consumers are confused. Is it innovation or is it
quality?" O'Keefe said.
Passikoff said Ford's rival General
Motors (Research) should be in the "Hall of Shame," too. "The most
important aspect of branding is to stand for something unique in
consumers' minds. GM isn't branding anymore but commoditizing,"
Passikoff said. "This is antithetical to branding. GM's brands don't
stand for anything so the last resort is to commoditize the product and
sell on price."
The Gap O'Keefe said Gap (Research)'s
decision not to advertise the Gap brand on television over the holidays
was a blooper. "Even though TV is eroding in terms of customer value,
it's still a part of the overall advertising mix."
Who's getting it right
Motorola (Research) has successfully
revived its once struggling brand image, O'Keefe said. "The Razr phone
is at the head of its effort. The company is doing a great job in
changing the look and feel of the brand."
He applauds American Express
(Research)' "My Life. My Card" campaign which features well-known
celebrities such as Robert de Niro and Ellen DeGeneres talking about the
role of the brand in their lives.
"One thing we look for in great brands
is how they maintain long-term consistency of the image, said O'Keefe.
"With the new campaign, American Express is once again promoting the
concept that the brand isn't a commodity but rather that those who use
it belong to an exclusive club."
Office supplies chain Staples
(Research) also gets a thumbs-up. "When they came out with their "That
was easy" tagline, we didn't know if it was simply cute or if they
really meant it. But I think they've proved to customers that they do
mean it and they're serious about making the shopping experience easier
by being innovative. They offer an online rebate program and the
company's using customer suggestions to create new products," O'Keefe
said.
[back to top]
Wal-Mart
Begins Quest for Generals in P.R. War
By MICHAEL BARBARO
March 30, 2006
[back to top]
Wanted: two people to help defend the
nation's largest retailer against critics. Requirements: plenty of
experience managing a crisis.
Wal-Mart Stores has begun circulating
two senior-level job postings — both in public relations — and if the
language used to describe the positions is any indication, the giant
discount retailer is on the P.R. equivalent of war footing.
One job includes "opposition
research," presumably into Wal-Mart's major critics: Wal-Mart Watch and
Wake Up Wal-Mart. The other requires the ability to "mobilize resources"
during a "crisis situation."
The two jobs reflect how much life has
changed at Wal-Mart, which has come under withering criticism over its
wages, health benefits and treatment of workers. The company barely had
a public relations department in the early 1990's, but now has a staff
of dozens, including a public relations war room full of former
political operatives who dispute the assertions of its opponents.
The job postings, which were
circulated by Crowe-Innes & Associates, an executive search firm, were
given to The New York Times by Wal-Mart Watch, a group backed by unions
and foundations that is pressing Wal-Mart to enhance its wages and
benefits.
According to the posting for the first
job, director of media relations, the successful applicant will oversee
Wal-Mart's "crisis communications program."
Rather than simply handling phone
calls from the press, the employee must be able to help "triage" those
calls, managing messages "in rapid response mode." Mona Williams, a
Wal-Mart spokeswoman, said the company received hundreds of calls a day
from reporters.
And, of course, the employee must be
on call "24/7" to assist with "emergency response" within the public
relations department.
The job requires 10 years' experience
in corporate communications and "proven media relationships."
The second job is senior director of
campaign management, an executive who will oversee all corporate
communications support staff and the war room.
This person, like the media relations
director, must have 10 years experience in communications, but also a
track record "addressing high- profile political activities," according
to the posting. Candidates must "operate successfully in a campaign
mode."
One responsibility of the job is to
research opponents — a position usually found in presidential political
campaigns.
Another is overseeing Wal-Mart's
relations with bloggers, many of whom frequently write about the
company.
The executive search firm, Crowe-Innes
& Associates, did not respond to phone and e-mail messages.
Both of the posted jobs, which would
be based at Wal-Mart's headquarters in Bentonville, Ark., offer
"competitive base salary, bonus opportunity and stock options" plus an
"excellent benefits package," which are not specified.
Copyright 2006The New York Times
Company
[back to top]
Rezoning request
hearing will continue
By David S. Owen
Suburban News Publications
March 29, 2006
[back to top]
More than 400 people packed into the
Pickerington Ridgeview Junior High School cafeteria Thursday evening for
a public hearing about a rezoning request in Violet Township. After
several hours of presentations by people both in favor of and opposed to
the request, the standing room only crowd was informed by zoning
commission members they need more time before making a recommendation to
the township board of trustees, so another hearing has been scheduled
for April 18.
Most of those attending the public
hearing were there to oppose a re-zoning application filed by TLG
Development Co. of Dublin. Initial plans indicate the developer would
like to have a "big-box" retailer anchor the development.
The crowd exploded with applause and
vocal approval when opposition to the re-zoning was voiced by those who
spoke.
At times, the crowd was quieted by
Violet Township Zoning Commission Chairman John Biancamano.
The hearing was called to discuss a
request to rezone 106 acres of land -- located on the north and south
sides of Refugee Road, east of Pickerington Road, including a portion
adjacent to Pickerington High School North -- from a single-family
residential district to a limited commercial district.
In the opening presentation, attorney
David Fisher, representing TLG, said, "It is our standpoint that this
zoning is not just about our client, it's just about most people here
tonight that we assume are here in opposition.
"It is also about the current land
owners of these properties and all the residents of Violet Township.
"We think there are policy
considerations that cannot be ignored here," Fisher said.
"There is no user for this site
identified, in contract or being negotiated with, with respect to any
building being built on this property," he said.
"There are also no tax abatements or
other economic abatements of any sort being proposed, sought or
requested in any way by the developer," Fisher said.
"All dollars to which the school
system would otherwise be entitled -- plus there will be some additional
entitlement dollars if this project goes forward -- will be made
available to the school district, and our very, very preliminary
calculations of that are in excess of $500,000 per year at full build
out," he said.
"We are approaching the current
traffic and economic issues as if they were and are in fact the utmost
importance," Fisher said.
"We understand that in order to move
forward, we need to be a part of the solution and not cause more
problems," he said.
"I think it's important from the
commission's standpoint to review the history of this land before the
current zoning application was filed."
Previous plans
Two years ago a piece of the land in
question was being considered for residential development, Fisher said.
He said after a series of hearings
with the zoning commission the plan was ultimately withdrawn by his
client for a variety of reasons before it went to final decision.
"What we heard during that entire
rezoning was no one wanted more house tops in that part of the township,
and especially on that property, that it was not well-suited for the
kind of residential development that was being proposed," Fisher said.
"We asked the people what they wanted,
and they all said we want commercial development there and more
importantly, what we want is some significant changes made in the
traffic plan in this area to deal with the traffic problems we currently
have," he said
"The current request is to address
these issues, and we looked at thoroughfare planning before any
application for the development of the land was submitted," Fisher said.
He described the area as being used
for a "mixed use" development for business with strip centers and out
lots.
Issues to address
Fisher said six issues need to be
addressed by the commission before they move forward with the rezoning
request.
The list is: Policies within the
township regarding commercial development in this corridor. Thoroughfare
planning Economic planning and impacts within the township as a
consequence and other zonings. Impact on the school district from this
and other developments. Size, scale, massing and the quality of this
property and other properties in the township. Economic development
agreements with adjoining jurisdictions to deal with economic and
infrastructure issues that will impact the township and its residents
long term. Public comments
There were several people from the
audience signed up to speak about the issue. Fifteen were able to speak
within the allotted time given by the commission
Among those was Kelly Sanders, a
Violet Township resident who owns a portion of the 106 acres.
"We are self-employed hard working
people who have a sizable investment in our land to ensure our
retirement," Sanders said.
"I am disappointed that many of the
residents of the community have developed their opinions based on rumor
and inaccurate information," she said.
"This land will eventually be
developed and there will be increased traffic and change whether its
commercial or residential," Sanders said.
"Pickerington is no longer a small
town and not one person here tonight has had the ability to stop the
progress or stop the growth, it has already happened, and it will
continue to happen," she said.
Carol Comanita, a resident of
Pickerington, and president of the Chevington Woods Civic Association,
said, "I am a firm believer in less is more ... if we have a commission
that is going to vote 'yes' or 'no' on such a huge issue, I have a
concern as to the expertise of those sitting on the commission to make a
decision for us who are homeowners in Violet Township.
"It's not that I challenge it, but in
order for me to make a good knowledgeable decision, because knowledge is
power, as a resident, I need to know the people on this commission have
expertise and history as to what it takes to 'yea' or 'nay' such an
important decision of this community," Comanita said.
"Tax money from large-box
developments, and businesses that employ minimum wage jobs, aren't
really going to help us as far as good tax base for our community," she
said.
Comanita said, "in some communities a
store such as a Wal-Mart where there is urban plight or where there is
such a regression in the community, might be well needed, but in
Pickerington we work hard to sustain what we have that I believe minimum
wage jobs is not the way we want to go."
Pickerington resident Chris Logsdon
said, "We need the roads in place first before anything else is done."
"We should allow this property to sell
as residential or commercial and under the current zoning they have the
right to do whatever they want, but when they want to change the zoning
then it becomes a community issue," Logsdon said.
"By having these meetings we are not
infringing on the rights of the property owners, we are simply
expressing our rights as a community under zoning to grow the way we
want it to grow," he said.
Another meeting
Biancamano said the zoning commission
will need more time to study the issue before making any recommendations
to the trustees.
Fisher asked the commission give his
developer time to to conduct economic impact and traffic studies before
moving forward.
Biancamano said the commission had
already reserved the Ridgeview cafeteria for April 18.
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