Green Bay's planning commission voted unanimously to approve a zoning request that clears the way to build a new Wal-Mart Supercenter on the city's east side.

The planned 203,000-square foot store would be built off East Mason Street and South Huron Road.

Dozens of people packed the city commission meeting but there were more people who spoke out in support of the development than against it.

Grant Soletski owns a business nearby. "More traffic count, more people seeing our sign and just pulling it, it will be good," he says.

Before the meeting, people opposed to the new development marched with signs outside city hall. Many said they're concerned about how the large retail store would affect the environment around the building and how smaller mom-and-pop businesses would be able to compete.

"We just want to let the supervisors, alderman, mayor Green Bay know that we're not for Wal-Mart," said Jim Ridderbush, United Food and Commercial Workers. "Green Bay doesn't need another Wal-Mart. There's enough of them around destroying jobs and hurting out economy."

The Green Bay City Council still needs to approve the plan. The council is expected to take up the issue next month.