Two meetings this week on Wal-Mart proposal

CANFIELD — Township residents will have a chance to voice their concerns or support for a proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter to be built in the township.

Wal-Mart is interested in building the store on 27.5 acres of property bounded by U.S. Route 224, the Ohio Turnpike and Raccoon Road.

It would build a supercenter, meaning it would include a grocery store. The store would be 176,495 square feet.

Residents will have the opportunity to voice their opinions at two public meetings. The first meeting will be at 7 tonight at McMahon Hall on state Route 46. The second meeting will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, also at McMahon Hall.

Officials in the township and also in the city of Canfield have already heard from many residents who do not want the giant store.

Wal-Mart has already made one attempt to get a zone change it needs for 14 of nearly 28 acres it wants to purchase. A zone change application has to go before the Mahoning County Planning Commission, the township zoning commission and the township trustees. Trustees have the final say.