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<br /> 768 matters,and that HVAC company has been here for 30 years or something.They are locally owned and run by a family,
<br /> 769 they keep their money local. No one is complaining about those buildings.Also, the size of them, the largest building is a
<br /> 770 warehouse which is 4,200 square feet, they have an office which is 2,500 square feet, so nowhere near the parking
<br /> 771 requirements that a retailer would bring.The historic White Cross school that was mentioned is 7,000 square feet and it
<br /> 772 is a local artist's studio space with 4-6 commercial tenants. It's not retail, it's not open to the public, it doesn't have a
<br /> 773 huge footprint on our community, but it does bring in culture and art and local businesses and it's a huge boon to our
<br /> 774 area. The largest building in the area is 8,800 square feet and that's the local artist's cooperative which has 12 local
<br /> 775 artists operating in it. It's also not a retail building, it doesn't have a ton of parking, it's low impact on the neighborhood
<br /> 776 but again it's also bringing jobs and high-quality workers to our area. It really serves the White Cross community
<br /> 777 aesthetic of a thriving, cultural crossroads. I also wanted to speak briefly to the comprehensive plan since we can't speak
<br /> 778 directly about the type of retail...(timer went off) I'll let others speak to that. Thank you for your time.
<br /> 779
<br /> 780 John Griffin-Good evening. For centuries, rural Orange County, NC has maintained an economy of home local trade and
<br /> 781 agricultural self-reliance,while state and nationwide economic forces lured neighboring counties to invest in major
<br /> 782 commercial and industrial infrastructures, generations of Orange County residents kept corporate land development out
<br /> 783 of their forests,watersheds,and county crossroads.Today, rural Orange County is a sanctuary from the industrial and
<br /> 784 suburban sprawl of the Triangle and Triad.The preservation of home and land is unique here.That's the social and
<br /> 785 economic character of Orange County. I believe these ideals are enshrined in the County's 2030 Comprehensive Plan.
<br /> 786 The Board voted down an application almost identical to this one last fall.The County has rejected other rural dollar
<br /> 787 stores. In fact,there are no dollar stores within the rural boundary of Orange County that I'm aware of. This would be the
<br /> 788 first.While the neighboring counties are saturated with dollar stores at their rural crossroads and boundaries.Approval
<br /> 789 sets a sad precedent for economic development under the comprehensive plan. Southern Orange County at White
<br /> 790 Cross, like other economic development nodes is well served by locally owned retailers.A dollar store would seek to
<br /> 791 disrupt and outcompete and ultimately shutter them and preclude future local businesses from operating there.A ton of
<br /> 792 journalism and legislation all over the US has examined and responded to the sprawling social and economic costs of
<br /> 793 corporate box retail like Dollar General to families and local governments. Bottom pay, understaffing, non-nutritious
<br /> 794 foods, increased opportunity for armed robbery, and an overall deterioration of local economic and social well-being. 1
<br /> 795 implore Orange County to again deny this application in the spirit of Rural Orange Preservation and the values for
<br /> 796 commercial development set forth in the comprehensive plan.Vote again against predatory low quality, and low paying
<br /> 797 chain retail in Orange County,thank you.
<br /> 798
<br /> 799 Jesus Bravo-Thank you, my name is Jesus Bravo and I own Fiestas Grill and Bravo's Market . I think when I started the
<br /> 800 Bravo's Market, started thinking that community needs. It's been over 3 years since we started. I think definitely it's going
<br /> 801 to have a bad impact on my business and not only on my business, but on the community, and also on the traffic. The
<br /> 802 Fiesta Grill,too of course.We have a hard time making a left turn into Fiesta Grill already. Everybody else already talked
<br /> 803 about the bad impact this is going to have in our community,and of course, it's going to have a bad impact on Bravo's
<br /> 804 Market. Thank you very much.
<br /> 805
<br /> 806 Dr.Anndal Narayanan-Members of the board,thank you for this opportunity for input tonight. My name is Andal
<br /> 807 Narayanan and I'm here on behalf of 5 neighbors in White Cross,who were not able to be here tonight, but all of whom
<br /> 808 share my opinion on this matter. I live in White Cross, 8 minutes from the parcel in question. I'm here to also ask you to
<br /> 809 refuse Glandon Forest Equity's rezoning request.A big box retail establishment of this size will lower property values for
<br /> 810 surrounding homeowners, it will increase traffic, it will disrupt the calm and quiet that we all value in the area.And, as
<br /> 811 you as you just heard it will hurt the small businesses that are part of what make White Cross such a special place to
<br /> 812 live. It's not needed in White Cross,this type of establishment.White Cross is not a food desert by any means. I rely on
<br /> 813 Bravo's market, as part of my weekly shopping. It offers high quality dry goods, dairy, meat, and fresh produce.A lot of
<br /> 814 this is, locally produced, and I really value that. I value keeping my dollars in the area.There are also several big box
<br /> 815 dollar stores and grocery stores within a few miles driving distance in either direction. Finally, I think this is also
<br /> 816 unnecessary, because if we if we really need to buy cheap stuff that's made in China from a predatory company,we can,
<br /> 817 and already do that,from Amazon. Thank you for your attention to the overwhelming community opposition to this
<br /> 818 rezoning request.
<br /> 819
<br /> 820 Tony Blake- I didn't originally plan to speak, but I heard some stuff in here that kind of bothered me and I wanted to
<br /> 821 approach it from a little bit of a different tact. I'm sort of conservative property rights guy and I'm all for diversifying the tax
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