SInce I don’t understand quite what is happening I will explain in detail:
I installed local and set up some sites. Then I realized that a previous test site from a prior install of local existed, and I wanted to install it to this version. I don’t know exactly what version I was using before (6 months or so?) but I am now using 5.0.6+976. When I zipped the folder and imported them, all went well with the import until the very end (starting services) when I got a message almost identical to this one https:/uploads/lwpforums/original/2X/8/8fed147ab86e7515bacb77f2050782bbe17eabe8.png from another issue (unresolved) with a similar problem.
I tried with another test site and it too gave the same result.
Using mac/high sierra