DEBARY, Fla. — A group of Volusia County homeowners are banding together to fight a big business.
Residents in the Glen Abbey subdivision in DeBary are worried about the traffic and other problems a new Walmart Neighborhood Market could bring to the area.
Robert Stamp said he’s just one of a few hundred residents who want to preserve their way of life in the Glen Abbey community.
He said it is being threatened by a new development that includes Walmart.
“They can put it by the train station or maybe in Orange City, but we wanted to be different here in DeBary,” Stamp said.
City documents show the 17-acre piece of land off Pine Meadow Drive was originally intended for a YMCA, something Stamp said residents were excited about.
The health club did not move forward with the plans, however.
Residents said they’re now afraid the Walmart will bring down property values, increase traffic and create noise and crime.
Stamp said the project will also destroy the entrance to their neighborhood.
“They’re going to take down the corner signage. They’re going to take out the media here and put in a turning lane. They’re going to have turning lanes on 1792,” he said.
Residents started a Facebook page opposing the Walmart and placed protest signs around the neighborhood, many of which were removed by city officials because they violated city ordinances.
Residents said they plan to keep fighting and will go to a city meeting on Monday to voice their outrage.
“We think they’ll listen, but we don’t know how much good it will do. It’s a Walmart, you know, there’s a lot of money and lawyers involved. We’re just a small town neighborhood,” Stamp said.