The retail giant applied June 8 for a special-use permit from the county to build a proposed 128,500- square-foot store on 35.5 commercially zoned acres at the intersection of State Routes 3 and 708.

At the same time, Walmart filed a request to alter proffers approved by the Board of Supervisors in 1994 when it rezoned that part of the larger Germanna Heights mixed-use development from agricultural to commercial.

Removing the proffers would allow the realignment of A&K Boulevard so that it parallels Route 3 from Route 708 to State Route 711.

A traffic-impact analysis is expected to be submitted soon, according to county Planning Director Gregg Zody.

Walmart initially planned to build a Supercenter just north of the intersection of Routes 3 and 20, but abandoned that site in the face of a lawsuit from Friends of the Wilderness Battlefield. Historic preservationists said that site would be detrimental to the Civil War battlefield.

Walmart does not expect any opposition from national historic preservation groups, but some locals have concerns about the new site.

The traffic-impact study is of particular interest to the approximately 8,000 residents of Lake of the Woods, who expect to see increased traffic on State Route 601, which leads to the back gate of the subdivision.

Route 601 intersects with State Route 20 east of LOW and with Route 3 on the west. It crosses Route 3 to intersect with A&K Boulevard, providing a potential back entrance to the Walmart Supercenter and a shortcut to the store from Route 20.

“I’ve specifically asked that Route 601 and LOW’s back gate be included in any traffic-impact analysis and was assured by a VDOT official that it would be done,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Lee Frame, who represents LOW.