Wal-mart pulls city permits, bringing it one step closer to building in Maricopa

What perhaps has been among the most anticipated announcements Maricopa’s citizens have been waiting to hear came five minutes before the City Council adjourned on Tuesday, just before 10 p.m.

City Manager Kevin Evans, during his status report to the Council regarding his first six months at the city’s helm, asked Mayor Anthony Smith if he had forgotten to mention something important in his opening report.

That something, it turned out, was that Wal-Mart on Friday pulled its permits to build.

It was an announcement that the audience, although likely weary after having been in a series of meetings since 6 p.m., was eager enough for to somewhat quietly cheer.

Two weeks earlier at the most recent Council meeting William E. Wayland of Shea Properties had come before the government body requesting a change allowing the retail giant to reduce its proposed store’s size by 50,000 square feet to a total of 250,00 square feet.

Shea Properties of Scottsdale is developing The Wells, a shopping center where Wal-Mart and Home Depot are expected to serve as anchors at the corner of Porter Road and the Maricopa Casa Grande Highway.

While phone calls since then to Wal-Mart and Home Depot have gone unreturned seeking additional information on the project and its timeline, Finance Director Roger Kohlman said that’s not unusual at this stage of development.

“They’ll return them when they are ready,” he said with a smile shortly after the meeting adjourned. “Sooner or later, they will be the ones looking for (the media).”