By Reid Forgrave
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MILFORD - A Wal-Mart representative on Thursday asked to postpone indefinitely a vote before City Council on a zoning change that would allow a 203,000-square-foot supercenter on Ohio 28.

Some Milford residents who warn that a new 24-hour Wal-Mart would wreak havoc on the congested business route saw this as a sign that Wal-Mart is shopping for a more accessible site.

"A new Wal-Mart would make 28 look like Beechmont Avenue, and we don't want that," said Jean Ackermann, president of the Milford Miami Township Chamber of Commerce. "It's already congested, and this would make it a lot worse. If Wal-Mart is going to come to our area, I'd rather it go to River's Edge off (Interstate) 275.

"It's probably going to come one way or another, but we need to put it in the right place," she said.

River's Edge is a retail development with a Target, Showcase Cinemas, restaurants and plenty more space for building.

Wal-Mart had postponed the vote, scheduled for Tuesday, once before. A Wal-Mart corporate spokesman didn't return a call Thursday evening.

In February, the city planning commission voted unanimously against recommending that council approve the zoning change from office to retail.

In a letter the city received Thursday, a local Wal-Mart representative said the indefinite postponement will allow the retailer time to review comments from numerous public hearings. Wal-Mart er says it may take months to incorporate the public comments into a site design or a response.

Mayor Lou Bishop said that all the city can do now is wait for the Arkansas-based retailer to bring a plan back to the city.

"It's their right" to postpone the vote, Bishop said. "I would guess there's only one of two reasons for postponing the vote: They might need more time to look at their application or they might be looking at other new sites."

E-mail rforgrave@enquirer.com