A proposed Walmart Supercenter at Wurzbach Parkway and Blanco Road could be significantly smaller than originally planned, and that is offering some relief to some people who live nearby.
Two new plans released at a meeting Tuesday night with District 9 Councilwoman Elisa Chan, would downsize the proposed 180,000-square-foot store to a smaller, 150,000- or 160,000-square-foot store, add a 300-foot buffer zone between the neighborhood and Hardberger Park, and the larger proposed store would close from midnight to 6 a.m.
"That could be preferable to whatever else could happen. So it could be worse," Rose Murray, who lives behind the proposed store in the North Castle Hills neighborhood, said.
But she said the serenity and privacy of her backyard would be impacted, regardless of the store size and hours.
"This is my playground. I love to garden and this is my life," she said. "It would ruin the experience for me."
Neighbors are also concerned about extra cars, entrances and lights on Blanco Road causing more congestions, especially around schools.
They said that would impact people who travel through the area, not just those who live adjacent to the site.
"When we moved here, there wasn't much of anything out here, so that's just progress. You can't stop progress," Gary Clark, who has lived nearby for 30 years, said.
He wants everyone's voice to be heard, but said a smaller store with shorter hours might be acceptable.
In a statement, Walmart said, "Customers want to shop and work at Wal-Mart and in fact, many already do. It's clear that the more San Antonian's [sic] get to know the facts about us, the more they see the value in bringing a Wal-Mart store to their community."
Walmart also adds that they don't yet own the land, but have been working with Chan to find a solution that works for everyone.