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Approved 4 - 5 - 23
<br /> 713 Brian Collie- Towards that question referring to the trip generation numbers , we feel that 54 spaces there per the UDO is
<br /> 714 overkill . We feel that any paved surface that' s not needed there is better.
<br /> 715
<br /> 716 Diantha Rau - I just want to speak to the character of our rural community which was mentioned by several folks here .
<br /> 717 Facades and aesthetically pleasing buildings are one thing , but the character of our community is its people and our
<br /> 718 small businesses that we have there . We have Mom and Pop businesses which will be impacted , I believe , very
<br /> 719 negatively by a national chain coming in and setting up shop on that corner . We have a local market that uses local
<br /> 720 meats and local dairy products . We have a restaurant; the Fiesta Grill and we have artisans and woodworkers in the
<br /> 721 community . We also have our gas stations which are also convenience marts . A Dollar General store would be an affront
<br /> 722 to the character of our community I believe . I strongly encourage your denial of this applicant in terms of
<br /> 723 recommendations .
<br /> 724
<br /> 725 Charity Kirk- Can I touch on something ? It' s become clear to me that we are not supposed to be disallowing a Dollar
<br /> 726 General , we are supposed to be disallowing a retail establishment here . So , the community , I ' m very clear that you don ' t
<br /> 727 want a Dollar General but to help me , I would be very interested why you don ' t want a retail establishment of this size on
<br /> 728 that corner. We ' ve been told that we cannot disallow a Dollar General because that' s discriminatory and the North
<br /> 729 Carolina ' s statutes don ' t allow that . So , if you could speak in a broader sense about the size of the establishment , or
<br /> 730 something else , that would be helpful to me to help make my decision .
<br /> 731
<br /> 732 Diantha Rau - Sure , well , any type of a retail store , particularly a national one , I don ' t know what other ones would be on
<br /> 733 the table , a Walgreens or anything like that, interferes with the Mom and Pop businesses that we have in the area . We
<br /> 734 rely on them , they rely on our business , and they could be put out of business by a retail store coming in there . That' s my
<br /> 735 concern .
<br /> 736
<br /> 737 Sadie Rapp- I ' m here on behalf of preserve Rural Orange . Based on the applicant' s presentation , at the neighborhood
<br /> 738 information meeting , I believe that they seem to have misunderstood our core concerns . They characterize the
<br /> 739 communities protest as being largely about the aesthetics of the building , the using up of limited commercial zoning , and
<br /> 740 the vagueness of the proposal . I would like to recognize their effort to assuage these concerns , but it doesn 't change the
<br /> 741 basic nature of the project . Preserving your own character, not just about aesthetics , but it' s also about values . The
<br /> 742 purpose of conditional zoning is to allow an exception to existing zoning to meet a distinct need of the community . To pull
<br /> 743 from the language of the County' s unified development ordinance ; The exception comes with a high standard to ensure
<br /> 744 compatibility and harmony with the surrounding areas and take applicable regulations to an equivalent or higher degree
<br /> 745 when it comes to things like improved level of amenities , creative design , and a better environment . These standards
<br /> 746 and expectations are lofty , we have data from the Institute for local self- reliance , as well as Consumer Reports , that
<br /> 747 shows that dollar store proliferation is associated with a hollowing out of the local business economy . They use their
<br /> 748 purchasing power to put any competitor out of business , including those that currently provide significant jobs , carry local
<br /> 749 products , meaningfully contribute to the economic well - being of the area , and also serve our needs in a dynamic and
<br /> 750 responsive way . A dollar store which siphons profits from our neighborhood and out-of-state has none of these qualities .
<br /> 751 It's important to say that we are not opposed to economic development in general , but we deserve better than this
<br /> 752 project . I simply cannot see how the term " Good civic design " could suit this project that is so grossly redundant, with the
<br /> 753 many dollar stores in an 8 - mile radius , and also create such conflict with the businesses in its orbit . On the basis of the
<br /> 754 guidelines set forth in the UDO , I believe that the Board has a responsibility to vote against approving conditional zoning
<br /> 755 as it is in direct conflict with the requirement that development be , as the UDO states , compatible and harmonious with
<br /> 756 White Cross , thank you .
<br /> 757
<br /> 758 Amanda Griffin - There were a lot of questions around what businesses exist and the size of the buildings that are there
<br /> 759 right now . This is my neighborhood , and I can speak very clearly to any of those questions that I heard some of you have
<br /> 760 earlier . I sent an email , I don ' t know if you have access to that right now , but I emailed the planning board with a map
<br /> 761 that has descriptions of all the local businesses and their sizes . Bravos Market is 2 , 700 square feet and that' s our largest
<br /> 762 retailer right now . Between that and the two convenience stores , White Cross Mart which is directly across from the
<br /> 763 proposed lot is 1 , 680 square feet and the 76 Gas Station is 2 , 700 square feet with a tire repair shop , so this proposal of
<br /> 764 a 10 , 640 square foot retailer is grossly disproportionate to the retail size that we have right now, and I think it' s totally
<br /> 765 unnecessary . I feel like our retail needs are already met with what we have in the community . There have also been
<br /> 766 some rude comments about the buildings directly across the street, about the HVAC service , that they are big ugly metal
<br /> 767 buildings , but I think that as another resident said earlier, aesthetic concerns are part of it but what' s inside is what really
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