Littleton Colorado is one of those places that people dream about. It is a folksy kind of place. We have a Main Street with turn of the century architecture that was just designated a national historic district. Small businesses extend all around Downtown.The local hardware store closed down after 60 years when Home Depot moved in, but the owner cashed out on his building and retired. I miss walking down for a 3 x 5/16 screw for 69 cents...sigh
The new Sushi Bar is a sign of the times in Downtown Littleton, however everyone still says Hello at the Post Office and Abe's Cafe now sells Falafels. The old Town Hall is now a community theater.
Small Town Mayberry RFD in the middle of a major American metropolitan area of 2.3 million people.
This Tuesday Littleton voters rejected Walmart.
We aren't very big here. It's pretty conservative too. By a margin of 7878 to 5128, 60% of the voters overturned the city coucil decision to grant a zoning change that would have paved the way to a 24 hour, 187,000 square foot, 23.5 acre Super Walmart development adjacent to the magnificent South Platte park and wetlands. An 878 acre park with five fishing lakes, 2.5 miles of river bordered by forests and wetlands where 300 species of wildlife live at the foot of the Rocky Mountains.
From the Denver Post:
"We have said from the beginning that the most important thing has been to give voters a chance to decide whether a big-box retailer should be allowed to build on property adjacent to South Platte Park," Debbie Brinkman, chairwoman of the opposition group "Littleton Pride, You Decide," said in a written statement Tuesday night. "Voters were given that chance and they said yes to preserve our park and our community."
From Littleton Pride:
Open Statement to the community
from Littleton Pride – You Decide
Tonight, we stand here, proud as ever of our great city and humbled by the overwhelmingly positive response to our efforts. More than an electoral victory, this is an affirmation of citizens’ commitment to Littleton and to our park.
The energy, commitment, and dedication that has been shown by so many citizens of Littleton, who put countless hours in research, meetings, hearings, and talking to our neighbors, has been the heart and soul of this campaign and it is the greatest accomplishment of the last year. People who’ve never been involved in politics before became experts in reading ordinances. Citizens across the political spectrum, old timers and newcomers alike, united in a common cause and for a common dream, a Littleton that remains as unique and vibrant for our children and grandchildren as it has been for our parents and grandparents.
Disagreement can sometimes foster division but, in the end, there is more that unites us than divides us, regardless of where we stand on this issue. This has never been about an opposition to development but a call for the right development. Littleton Pride reaches out to all of our fellow neighbors, to our City Council, and to our City staff, and invites you to work with us in ensuring that Littleton continues to thrive and that the entire South Platte corridor is planned and developed in such a way as to protect our park, and preserve our community.
I get a little choked up thinking about fighting the world's largest corporation in Littleton. They spent almost $100,000 on insulting mass mailed postcards caricaturizing Walmart opponents in cartoons as squirrels and nuts while the wise old owl counseled them to relax.
It was disgusting.
I spent $250 printing 15,000 flyers on acid free paper with soy inks that were donated for passing out at the hometown Western Welcome Week Parade.
Politics is sometimes won at the local level. It is the grass roots organization of the common person against the Goliaths of the world that really matters at times.
Even in Little Towns across America.