|
|
||
Date published: 5/21/2009
Tonight, the Orange County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed Wilderness Wal-Mart. Why go to this trouble when three supervisors have stated they support the project, no matter what the public might say? Despite a campaign by Wal-Mart supporters to paint opponents as liberal outsiders, there is indeed opposition to this project from Orange County residents. I've lived in Locust Grove for more than 12 years and in Virginia for more than 40 years. A Wal-Mart can be built almost anywhere, but our historic resources are irreplaceable. Just because the intersection contains a McDonald's does not mean we should bring in the highest level of development possible. There are other, better places to build the Wal-Mart, and there are other, better uses for the land at Wilderness. As Supervisor Teri Pace has suggested, building across from Lake of the Woods makes more sense. There is already similar scale development in that area, the roads are better situated to absorb the increased traffic, and the stores would be closer to the county's largest population center. The Wilderness intersection is much better suited for hospitality-type resources--hotels, restaurants, a museum, a visitors center--than a big-box retail complex. We have one chance to do this right. If Wal-Mart and other stores dominate the eastern end of the county, there will be no going back. It is true that stores will not be built on National Park Service land. The real danger is the pressure the ensuing traffic will have on State Route 20 to grow to four or more lanes, destroying the battlefield that straddles it. Once the barn door is opened, the horses will run right through it. Stephen Anderson Orange
LOW even has it's own volunteer fire & rescue which provides services to not only LOW but also the surrounding area. LOW is not open to the public and does not allow non members in without invitation & sponsorship of a LOW property owner with the exception of trash disposal & Church activities which are available to non members. Maybe you should come attend one of our Church services and ask God to remove the hatred in your heart.
Stop drinking the Kool-aid, Orange town and/or county do not subsidies anything for LOW it's actually just the opposite of that. The majority of the tax revenue for Orange county comes from the residence of LOW so you could say that LOW in effect subsidizes Orange. LOW is a private gated community which is totally self sufficient as far as operating capital. The county supplies schools, libraries and Government services for all county residence paid for with ALL county tax dollars.
Orange already subsidizes LOW which is a private gated community collecting HOA dues. We subsidize their parks and their pool and in return for allowing Orange to use those faciliites, they get first crack at all county Parks and Rec stuff which means Orange citizens outside LOW don't get what they pay for. this is a nasty crooked town
It's crime waiting to happen not to mention that what value remains in our homes will be depleted. the more that area is "developed" in an ad hoc unplanned way, the worse our neighborhoods all the way down to Orange through to Culpeper will be. It will be like living in little LA
You know whay I moved down to LOW because of the community and the affordability. The downside of things was having to drive 70 miles one way to work and then if that wasn't bad enough having to drive 20 miles to get to stores and or resteraunts. The intersection of route 3 and 20 doesn't offer much for the residents now. Walmart is a plus for this seems to be struggling county and it offers convience to those who live down here. You know Manassas battlefield has a theatre shopping center that backs to it.
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
