Court Rules Against Group Opposing Knightdale Wal-Mart

Knightdale residents opposing the construction of a Wal-Mart Supercenter were stymied Monday when a judge ruled that the town had not violated any state statutes in rezoning land for the project.

In his ruling, Superior Court Judge Henry Barnette said Knightdale officials had followed due-process requirements in publicizing public hearings held to discuss the rezoning proposal.

He also stated that the Knightdale Town Council had complied with a North Carolina statute when passing a rezoning ordinance for the property and that Councilman Mike Chalk did not have a conflict of interest in voting on the ordinance.

In their suit brought against the Town of Knightdale, members of CARE (Citizens Against Residential Encroachment) said Chalk had bid on and obtained a contract to do work on a property owned by one of the companies involved in the Wal-Mart project. However, Chalk told the court he had no interest in contracting to do work on the project, and the court ruled he had no substantial financial interest involved.

CARE officials released a statement early Monday evening saying that they are “profoundly disappointed” in the court’s ruling. The group had not decided whether to appeal the ruling.