American Dream

San Francisco, CA - The Hercules City Council will consider whether to use eminent domain to wrest a 17-acre property from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. after the nation's largest retailer rejected a city offer to buy the site with views of San Pablo Bay. Wal-Mart bought the property overlooking central Hercules in November after another developer received city approvals for a neighborhood shopping center. Then city planners recommended denying Wal-Mart's proposal for a big-box store on its property, saying the plan was not in keeping with what had been approved for the location, which commands a view of one of the Bay Area's most vaunted New Urbanist communities, with pedestrian-oriented streets and large open-space set-asides, as well as sweeping views of the bay.
The company withdrew its application. In response, the City Council voted to make an offer for the land for an undisclosed amount of money. Then Wal-Mart submitted a new application that it said substantially conforms to city requirements.
"What the council has said is that we want to buy the property,'' a City Councilman said, describing the tussle with Wal-Mart as a "David and Goliath'' struggle.