After two years of battles between Walmart and local civic activists, the City of Miami has taken everyone by surprise and abruptly approved (Hat tip: Miami New Times) Walmart’s latest plans for a 156,000 square foot store in Midtown. Despite plans which were just recently characterized by an architectural advisory panel as obvious violations of the zoning code, with one panel member even saying “I feel like a violin and I’m being played” those plans, well yeah, were somehow approved yesterday by city planning director Francisco Garcia. Meanwhile Walmart’s opponents plan to appeal the decision and stop the store from being issued building permits.