April 20, 2000

Chris Callaway et al
Wal*Mart Stores, Inc.

Attached are several petition sheets opposing the proposal to build a Supercenter Wal*Mart on Baptist Road.

The opposition to the proposed store is very deep-seated and widespread throughout the Tri-Lakes area. As evidence of this, these petitions were signed by 573 concerned area residents. Most of these signatures were gathered over one weekend. People were standing in line to sign the petitions.

Of the total, 189 are residents of the Town of Monument. This number is more than the number of Monument residents who signed the petition opposing the recently defeated proposal for a concrete batch plant.

There is widespread concern regarding the pace and scale of proposed developments in this area. The proposed 184,000 square foot Wal*Mart store is widely anticipated to have grave, negative, unmitigated impacts on this area. These impacts are of many types including traffic safety and congestion, environmental damage, light and noise pollution, crime, and impact on existing local businesses. Many are puzzled that Wal*Mart is proposing to put a store here since there are existing Wal*Mart stores within a few minutes drive of the proposed site.

Concerns regarding proposed developments was a major issue in the April 4^th Monument municipal election. The eight-year incumbent Mayor and two Trustees who favored approval of the concrete plant and were widely thought to favor the Wal*Mart proposal were defeated by margins ranging from 1.6:1 to 2.5:1. To illustrate this change in the Town leadership, one of the first actions of the new Mayor and Board of Trustees was to unanimously enact an emergency ordinance establishing a moratorium on approval of new projects.

Out of respect for the concerns of area residents and to avoid adding to the growing negative perceptions of Wal*Mart by the many residents in this area, we respectively request that Wal*Mart withdraw this ill-conceived proposal.

If you wish to discuss this matter further, please contact the undersigned.

Sincerely,

John Heiser on behalf of the members of
The Coalition of Tri-Lakes Communities