LOS ANGELES — Opponents of the city's decision to allow Wal-Mart to open a Neighborhood Market in the Chinatown section of downtown Los Angeles filed an appeal Thursday with the Department of Building and Safety over the permits it approved last week.
The appeal was filed by the local chapter of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, in conjunction with the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, in an attempt to stop Wal-Mart from obtaining the certificate of occupancy required to open the 33,000-square-foot store.
In response, Steve Restivo, senior director of community affairs for Wal-Mart, said, "This action shows how far a handful of special interests will go to block jobs, economic development and new shopping opportunities from coming to the downtown and Chinatown communities. The site has always been zoned for a grocery store [and] has been empty for most of the last two decades, and our plans clearly comply with all city requirements. Residents shouldn't have to wait any longer for new, fresh food options, and we have every confidence that our plans will continue to move forward."