After hearing pleas from citizens of the Dry Creek area of Raleigh County, the Raleigh Zoning and Planning Commission on Tuesday denied for the second time a request by an Ohio company to build a Dollar General in one of the most rural areas of the county.
Around 30 people attended the hearing at the Raleigh Commission office to speak in favor of and against a request by Cross Development of Ohio to build a 9,000-square-foot Dollar General store on a private lot that is in an area zoned "rural-residential."
The community of Dry Creek hosts the 130-year-old Charles B. Jarrell General Merchandise Store, or "Charlie's," a local, family-operated general store. The store is a staple in the community, and the Dry Creek Post Office operates from inside the building.
Commission had denied the request by Patsy Gwinn, who owns the lot, for a conditional use permit on March 20. Cross planned to purchase the lot from the Gwinns and to lease it to Dollar General. After the commission denied permission, Cross appealed to Raleigh Circuit Judge John Hutchison, who remanded the request back to the commission.
"This is about the only property that's not in the flood plain along this road," Cross Development Manager Josh Allen told the commission on Tuesday. "This makes a good spot for the store to serve the community.
"The community's already underserved, as far as shopping and retail and groceries. There's a long commute into town to get day-to-day goods."
Dollar General operates on the "dollar store" format. Dr. James Brown, a West Virginia University marketing expert, told The Register-Herald that dollar stores typically fill a vaccuum in regions where other retailers are not available.
Dollar stores purchase low-cost retail toys, party supplies and other goods from a large mall in China for sale in the United States and carry some grocery, hygiene and first-aid items.
Some who live in the area of Dry Creek said the elderly residents, disabled people and single parents who live in the rural area would be well-served by a Dollar General that is close to their homes, especially for those within walking distance. The speakers reported that many in the community work blue-collar jobs in Beckley for 20 hours a week and that gas prices have risen to $2.80. Unemployment is a challenge, particularly for coal miners. It isn't in the budget of some residents to drive 45 minutes to and from Beckley when a need arises, and they have to find rides to Beckley or Glen Daniel.
One woman said she's grateful for Charlie's but that the custom for some is to buy immediately necessary items at Charlie's, a family operation, until arrangements can be made to get other items that are needed.Â
Priscilla Acord of Old Eccles Road stated she has family who live at Dry Creek.
"We really need it," she said. "We have never had anything in our area like this. It would be so great to have the store. It would help the working people and elderly in our community."
Tammy Burnette wrote in a letter to the commission that she had lived in the area for over 40 years.
"We deserve another store," she said. "We have 644 signatures saying we do."
Other residents of the immediate area said the Dollar General would destroy their rural way of life with lights, noise and increased traffic.
"I vehemently oppose Mr. Gwinn's application," Elizabeth Barrett, 67, said. "This conditional use permit will negatively affect me and my neighbors directly, to devalue our property to the point of not being able to sell it, if we choose to do so.
"It will destroy our rural, residential lifestyle we value. I don't want to look out my kitchen window ... and see a Dollar General."
Barrett lives part-time in Florida but owns property at Dry Creek, and her family still lives there, along Barrett Lane. A family member operates Charlie's.
Beverly Hubbard's property is beside the lot, she reported.
"I currently do not live there, but I'm supposed to build a home there when I retire," she explained. "I really do not want (the store)."
Hubbard said she, too, wanted to see mountains when she looked out of her window.
A man from the gallery called out that it would take a 20-foot fence to block the view of the proposed store.
"I don't want to look at a fence, either," Hubbard said. "I want wide, open space."
Her response was met with a chorus of agreement from the gallery.
Alex Phelps, a teen, read a letter from his father, who owns a 2.5-acre piece of property at Dry Creek. Phelps said his family had lived there since the 1800s.
"Construction of this store is not necessary," Phelps read from the letter. He added that the Charles B. Jarrell Merchandise store provided retail.
Residents Connie Stone and Joyce Cantley were also among those who spoke against the Dollar General permit.
A Family Dollar operates in Glen Daniel, residents reported.
Allen presented a petition with more than 500 signatures in favor of a Dollar General in the area.
Tim Anderson, who represented those opposing the permit, argued that the petition presented to the commission was not explicit enough to ensure that those who had signed it were aware of all factors involving the particular Dollar General in question.
"They were asked, 'Would you like a Dollar General store?'" Anderson told the commission. "The petition was not specific."
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