Minutes-04-04-2023-Business Meeting

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39 having a retailer such as Dollar General is easy and convenient. He said it would lessen the travel consumption and support the residents. He said that He said he supports the community, but he feels that this would be good for them and would help access to items needed for fellowship and his job as a minister, while limiting the travel time. Kathy Tommerlahl said she has resided in White Cross for 40 years. She said that part of the beauty of living in White Cross is there are not retail stores with large parking lots. She asked the Board to keep it one of the gems of Orange County. Katie Engel said she has lived in Orange County for 4 years. She said they moved from out of state and when deciding where to buy land, they chose Orange County after familiarizing themselves with the surrounding area. She said there are tons of Dollar Generals in Chatham County and that it feels completely different and that is why they chose Orange County. She said that this is not about feeling, it is about the fit of the area and the need. She said that it is small local businesses now and that this change is random and sets a precedent. She said the application represents a lot of time and money. She said the first time the rezoning was denied, and this time again the Planning Board recommended denial. She said that Bingham Township is growing and that can be very beneficial for Orange County if it's done correctly. She said they will be hurting themselves long term if they start with the bottom of the barrel. She said the developer is putting time into the application because they know there is money to be made. She said the county should make sure that it is done right and it is the best fit. She asked them to deny the application. Anndal Narayanan said he has lived in Orange County for 13 years and has lived in White Cross for 3 years. He said he was speaking on behalf of several neighbors. He said his house is 8 minutes from the parcel in question. He asked the Board to uphold the Planning Board's recommendation to deny the rezoning. He said he supports Fiesta Grill restaurant, Bravo's Market and the other local stores and values being able to keep his dollars in the county. He said Dollar General would harm the local businesses in place. He said he would not spend a cent in Dollar General. He said that allowing a Dollar General would let other similar predatory stores to do the same. He said everyone has seen what Dollar General has does to rural communities. He asked them to deny the request and keep White Cross special. Kevin Reese said he lives in White Cross and commutes to Greensboro. He said he has a unique perspective on traffic on Hwy 54. He said traffic going east into Chapel Hill is astonishing. He said the Dobson Crossroads and Saxapahaw lights are backed up several cycles. He said it is an unstable equilibrium and easily upset if something happens. He said the White Cross community is showing up for the third time to object to this development. He asked the Board to protect the community of local businesses. Jesus Bravo owns Fiesta Grill and Bravo's Market. He said they did a survey before building Bravo's. He said they talked to local farmers and vendors and they supported him to make it come true. He said that the Dollar Store does not care about local businesses or the community. He said they do not care about the negative effects. He said he hopes the project will be denied. Laura Streitfeld said she is a resident of Bingham Township. She said she is against the proposal. She said that the developer raises more questions than answers. She said it is not a food desert in White Cross. She said she sympathizes with the property owner but that is a property with over an acre to use as a business. She asked the Board to not approve something that the Planning Board twice rejected. She said it is not consistent with Comprehensive Plan. She said that it is not clear that it fulfills a community need. She said they moved to where they are understanding that it is not a walkable area. She said they expect to drive for their goods. She said this is not small scale as referenced in the rural node. Vice-Chair McKee made a motion to close the public hearing, seconded by Commissioner Hamilton.