The 4-1 vote does not scuttle a proposed 132,000-square-foot Wal-Mart store on Twin Cities Road east of Highway 99.

The council considered a Planning Commission-recommended ban on 120,000-square-foot stores that would have killed Wal-Mart's plans, but decided to pass the ordinance as it was originally written. Councilman Darryl Clare dissented.

"We're disappointed that the council decided to vote against consumer choice," Wal-Mart spokesman Aaron Rios said after the meeting. "But we are pleased that they raised the threshold to allow our proposal to go forward."

About 100 Galt residents packed the Council chambers for a standing-room-only debate that became heated at times. Speakers for and against the ordinance reflected a split in a community that craves shopping options but clings to its small-town image.

Supporters of the ordinance said big box stores like Wal-Mart take customers from small businesses, forcing those businesses to close and leaving communities blighted.

Mayor Tim Raboy gives his opinion on the ordinance banning big-box stores in Galt on Tuesday evening during the Galt City Council meeting.

Opponents said Galt, with lagging sales tax receipts, is in no position to limit business in the city. They said they loathed having to drive to Lodi or Elk Grove to buy simple things like socks.

Many people saw the debate as a referendum on Wal-Mart in Galt. One group of residents from the Emerald Village neighborhood near the proposed Wal-Mart supported the store but didn't want it in their backyard because of the traffic it would create.

Vice Mayor Andrew Meredith, who spearheaded the ordinance, said the law was about protecting the community not limiting Wal-Mart's plans.
"This is in no way an ordinance to keep one project from happening," he said. "We started this long before we had a proposal from Wal-Mart."

Galt resident Reuven Epstein said Wal-Mart would provide a shopping option in a city where businesses are not booming.

"People keep saying it's going to hurt existing businesses," he said. "I'm not sure what existing businesses. There aren't many. You can't buy much in the way of shoes or other clothing."

David John said government shouldn't meddle in business.

"Don't tell business what to do," he said. "We're in a free market enterprise system."

Supporters of the ordinance, like Connie Connelly, said allowing big box stores in Galt is a slap in the face to small business owners.
"Small business made Galt what it is," she said. "We need to treat small business with respect."

Speaking before the council, Rios held a stack of postcards he said were from Wal-Mart supporters. Wal-Mart mailed letters to Galt residents in the past week urging them to voice their support for the large retailer.

As Rios explained Wal-Mart's plan for a Galt store, some members in the audience booed and cut him off.

In voting against the ordinance, Clare said the law doesn't solve the issue of traffic near the proposed Wal-Mart.

"We did nothing about Wal-Mart tonight," he said. "We still have to solve the traffic problem."

Meredith said he will work on an amendment to the ordinance that would limit retail store hours from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.