POOLER, Ga. (WSAV) — Pooler City Council approved construction for a new strip mall near the Tanger Outlets shopping center Monday afternoon.
A 4 to 2 vote officially gets the ball rolling on the new 13,000 sq. ft shopping building. Residents WSAV spoke with are concerned about the traffic this would cause in the area, council members who voted against it say the same.
The city has become known as a boom town. Sandra Lewis, a Pooler resident of 24 years, said she enjoyed what Pooler once was, a small suburban town.
“Walmart came in, Krystals came in, Dollar General was here, Family Dollar was here and Food Lion was here, very small life,” she said. “I enjoyed it so much because it was a small effect for my children and the schools.”
The center will accommodate eight units. Five are designated for general retail and three can operate as food & beverage or retail. With a new shopping center planned for 220 Tanger Outlets Blvd, next to the Applebee’s, it worries Lewis.
“The thing about it is it causes too much traffic jam,” Lewis said. “The traffic is just something in the area and it causes problems for parents picking up their children from events and from school. It causes problems. Especially during the holidays when you’re trying to get into the outlet. I mean, it’s horrible leaving.”