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Letters to the Editor

With Wal-Mart out, Atascadero should focus on workforce housing

This Atascadero plot was slated to be the site of a new Wal-Mart, until the company announced in mid-February that it would not be building a story in the city.
This Atascadero plot was slated to be the site of a new Wal-Mart, until the company announced in mid-February that it would not be building a story in the city. David Middlecamp dmiddlecamp@thetribunenews.com

Wal-Mart has chosen not to build in Atascadero, which is happy news to local small businesses and the citizens that value them and the small town Atascadero way of life. There’s already a large Wal-Mart nearby in Paso Robles.

It’s time to take a fresh look at the property site and visualize what the community needs and would benefit from the most. How about continuing the trend seen on north El Camino Real and working with a community-minded developer to build attractive and sorely needed workforce housing? With a mini-park and playground for the kids? Instead of chasing big box tax dollars and blighting and cheapening the local rural landscape? It’s time to do the right thing for Atascadero.

Patti Everett, Templeton

This story was originally published February 19, 2017 at 6:18 PM with the headline "With Wal-Mart out, Atascadero should focus on workforce housing."

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