Walmart Contests Sioux Falls Opposition Petitions

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Walmart Stores Inc. is challenging petitions that seek a public vote on the rezoning of land to accommodate a new supercenter in Sioux Falls.

Company officials believes as many as one-third of the signatures on the petitions are invalid.

The Save Our Neighborhood opposition group recently submitted 6,300 petition signatures to refer a City Council decision to rezone about 40 acres of land from agricultural use to commercial use. The group needs 5,100 signatures to force a public vote next April. Walmart says the group has only about 4,200 valid signatures.

Opposition group spokeswoman Dana Palmer says the group believes it has enough valid signatures. The city clerk's office will decide. City Clerk Lorie Hogstad says the process will take several weeks.

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