Deptford Wives

An organization called The Concerned Citizens of Deptford (N.J.) has announced a second “No Wal-Mart” rally to protest a developer’s application to build a large “big box” development in the township.

In response to the group’s first rally, in September, the township’s planning board pulled the application off that meeting’s agenda. The board also was forced to adjourn its August meeting to accommodate public comment that lasted well into the night.

The Deptford Township Council had passed an amendment to the local ordinance prohibiting such “big box” stores over 100,000 square feet. According to plans submitted by the developer, AIG Baker (Birmingham, Ala.), the proposed development on the site of a former RCA plant would be over that size limit.

The citizen’s group said its main focus has been on the negative quality of life impacts associated with “Wal-Mart style” developments, including increased traffic congestion, public safety concerns and poor labor practices. “We’ve made a significant effort to educate the public on the negative impacts of these developments on the community, as well as how these Wal-Marts have been quietly planned and prodded for years in this Township,” said spokesman Mike Campbell. “The public still has an opportunity to take action, and this rally will be a way for the citizens of Deptford to demonstrate their concerns about the quality of life in our community. This is not a done deal.”