Hercules CA, eminent domain, and Wal-Mart

Hercules, California is the typical faceless suburb on the outskirts of the Bay Area with low-density development, strip malls lining busy streets, long commutes, and few civic amenities. In other words, the place is the perfect target for a Wal-Mart.

Interestingly, the Hercules city council voted last night to use eminent domain to seize the land owned by Wal-Mart to prevent the retail giant from building a store in their town.

The people of Hercules, CA hopes to transform the town and give it character by developing a waterfront village with boutique retail on the property that Wal-Mart currently owns.

Update: Check out Mark Morford's shock and awe over Wal-Mart going green.