Tuesday, Feb. 26 2013 9:29AM

Wal-Mart debate in special session

By Russ Pulley

rpulley@lsjournal.com

Wal-Mart’s proposed store in south Lee’s Summit is coming back to the City Council at a special session Feb. 28 for more discussion.

The council will consider a proposed rezoning of some property needed for the project at 3410 S.W. Market St., at the northwest quadrant of Missouri 150 and Missouri 291.

The store is opposed by a group called South Lee’s Summit Citizen’s for Responsible Development which contends the Wal-Mart Supercenter will cause traffic jams, a decrease in property values and additional crime.

The project nearly died when council members split over whether Wal-Mart was doing enough to correct possible traffic congestion, but the council unanimously decided to reconsider after an initial 4-3 no vote.

The proposed store would be a square-feet facility, an updated version of Supercenters with energy-saving technology, such as LED lights in parking areas, skylights to the interior and also will have composting of waste from the grocery, where the public also can dispose of organic matter.

It would include the usual grocery, automotive and pharmacy sections.

The meeting is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. at City Hall, 220 S.E. Green Street.

Also scheduled is a public hearing on amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance which would set design standards for new buildings in the downtown area to assure they are compatible with surrounding structures. The amendments were requested by Downtown Lee’s Summit Main St. Inc with the intent of preserving the historic character of the business district and neighborhoods while promoting development.

Proponents say the standards will encourage a consistent look that will protect investments of current owners and new projects.