Update: Opposition Forming to Proposed Caledonia Walmart

Update: A group from the Conservancy District and the neighboring area plan to attend tonight's 5:30 p.m. meeting. While they won't be able to share their opinions on the project, they plan to wear green t-shirts to show opposition to the project.

Original post: Caledonia may be getting a Wal-Mart. 

The Village Board and the Plan Commission will hear a presentation from officials with Wal-Mart at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday night about their plans to build an 115,000-square-foot store at the northwest corner of Highway 31 and 4 Mile Road.

The presentation will be done in open session, but then after the presentation the Plan Commission and Village board will meet in closed session. The Village Board meeting will be held at 6 p.m., and the Plan Commission and Village Board will discuss the plans, but will not take public comments.

Village President Ron Coutts said he was approached last week about the project.

"This is going to be a smaller-scale store, and will likely be unique -- not only to those in the area, but in the nation as well," Coutts said.

Coutts said he doesn't have a lot of details about the project including how many employees the store would employ or how many acres the project would be built on. The land would require several approvals to move forward.

"Right now this is in the initial stages," Coutts said. "Wal-Mart will also be holding a public meeting to explain the details of the project to citizens."

However, more details on the project are expected to come out at the special Board meeting, which is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the Eastside Community Center. 

The project would not include special financing through a tax incremental finance district, Coutts said.

"They want to pay their fair share," he said.

The project comes at a time when the Village Board has had numerous discussions about how to develop Caledonia and how the Village would be able to attract new businesses. In one meeting, a retail broker Coutts said he understands that many people will likely be opposed to the project, "but what do they want me to do? Raise their taxes?"

The new store would be at least the 17th Walmart in southeastern Wisconsin, including the second in Racine County.