No Walmart

I am a 19 year resident of Northbrook and take deep pride in writing this.  During this time I have been very active in both my community and local schools.  I am writing in opposition to the proposed building of Walmart at 1000 Skokie Blvd. for a variety of reasons: 
1.  I take the term "shop local" very literally.  I buy groceries at Sunset.  I purchase firewood at Ferraro's Garden Spot.  I buy books at The Book Bin.  I patronize many other local businesses, too many in fact to list.  If Walmart is allowed to open in Northbrook many of these businesses will not survive.  These businesses are the life blood of our community.  “Studies from all across the country show that Wal-Mart's arrival does not bring the increase in jobs and retail spending that the company promises,” said Brian Paul, Center Fellow and Masters of Urban Planning Candidate at Hunter College. “Instead, Wal-Mart captures spending from existing stores, driving them out of business and replacing existing retail jobs with lower-paying Wal-Mart jobs."  Is this what we really want to happen to our beloved Northbrook owned businesses?  
2.  At the meeting two weeks ago it was stated that "a pedestrian friendly area with sidewalks and crosswalks" would be constructed by Walmart.  Who do you think is honestly going to walk to and from Walmart?  It's Skokie Blvd.!  Where do you think people will walk to?
3.  It has been mentioned that the Village will do its best to "control traffic patterns through Sunset Ridge Road and Voltz Road".  The Village cannot honestly anticipate how traffic patterns will emerge until Walmart is actually built.
4.  At the last meeting Walmart representatives stated that there would be a right turn only out of the parking lot onto Skokie Blvd.  Walgreens has this from their parking lot onto Shermer yet people disobey it all the time and make a left turn.  Hence, this "right turn only lane" does not effectively control traffic.
5.  Walmart said that they would dim the exterior lights between the hours of midnight and 6:00 am while the store is closed.  Many questionable happenings could take place on a dimly lit lot of that size.
6.  If store hours are 6:00 am to midnight and delivery trucks are allowed to arrive at 6:00 am, wouldn't that violate Northbrook's existing noise ordinance?  Weekdays the noise ordinance is from 7:00 am and, on the weekends, it's 9:00 am.  Trucks make noise from their engines as well as their backup alerts.
7.  Regarding the increased crime due to the building of Walmart (per their testimony at the last meeting) how many more Northbrook police officers will have to be hired to handle the estimated extra 500 calls per day?  Per the Village of Northbrook website, "the Department consists of 66 full time sworn police officers".  How could these 66 officers physically handle 500 extra calls per day?  Who will pay for these added employees?  How much will it cost for the added officers to patrol this area?  Who will pay for this?  How much will the crime itself cost our village. 
8.  At the meeting Monday night it was stated that Walmart will have an 18 foot setback from Skokie Blvd.  18 feet?  According to the Village of Northbrook's Development & Planning Services document titled "Basic Zoning Information", the minimum setback for any structure in Northbrook is 25 feet.  Why would Walmart be given such a lenient setback for a structure that is proposed to be 150,000+ square feet?
9.  According to Reuters, same store sales at existing Walmart stores are down in the third quarter of this year.  "The world's largest retailer also cut its revenue and profit forecasts for its fiscal year."  Why on earth would we allow a big box store like Walmart to build a store 150,000+ square if there is a decent chance that the store could close?
I sincerely hope that your commission listens me and the hundreds of Northbrook residents and small business owners who have voiced their opposition to the building of Walmart.  
Denise Handler