An environmental compromise could mean a bigger Wal-Mart in South Austin.
Some members of the Austin Environmental Board say they can't even believe it themselves, but the group has recommended approval of Wal-Mart's plan to expand an existing store on Ben White Boulevard into a Supercenter.
The expansion still needs final approval by the Austin City Council, but clearing the Environmental Board was a big hurdle.
The board fought against Wal-Mart's plan to build a Supercenter at MoPac and Slaughter Lane in 2003. The company eventually canceled those plans based on environmental concerns.
Now Wal-Mart has won approval to expand an existing store at the southeast corner of the MoPac & Hwy. 290 interchange by offering to turn part of the Slaughter Lane site into a land preserve.
"I never thought I'd ever be part of any kind of motion that helped Wal-Mart in any way. The reason I did this is because the second tract near Slaughter is so important and it will get protection under this deal,” board member Karin Ascot said. “The best outcome really would be if there were no Wal-Mart anywhere over the [Edwards] aquifer, but legally we cannot do that. They already have a store there.”
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Wal-Mart's compromise
Wal-Mart agreed to preserve land in one spot if they can turn another location into a Supercenter.
 
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As part of the deal, the environmentally sensitive land at Slaughter Lane and South MoPac would be preserved, but Wal-Mart will be able to add on 60,000 more square feet to the Ben White location.
"It seemed this was a good deal better than what would have happened if we had not agreed to support the proposal," Ascot said.
A Wal-Mart attorney called it "a win-win” situation, and city environmental officer Pat Murphy believes it’s a good plan as well.
What we see is a proposal that does not increase impervious cover on the exiting Wal-Mart site. That improves the water quality significantly on that site,” Murphy said.
The MoPac/Slaughter site will still have spaces zoned for retail development. They are all clustered on the south portion of the property with space set aside as a land preserve.
Wal-Mart needs a rezoning ordinance to expand the Ben White store. Austin City Council members will conduct a public hearing on the issue Thursday at 10 a.m.
