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Proposed Farm Store In Norge Passes Planning CommissionFriday, December 03, 2010 A new farm supply store is one step closer to joining several others in Norge, though one business owner pleaded with planning commissioners Wednesday not to approve the application. Tractor Supply Company, of Brentwood, Tenn., aims to open up a new 19,000-square-foot farm supply store with an additional 21,200 square feet of outdoor sales space near Farm Fresh in the Norge Center Shopping Center. The stores supply products for a “rural lifestyle,” from welders and generators to animal care products, as well as work clothes, animal feed, lawn and garden supplies, riding mowers and power tools.John Fleet, who runs James River Fleet Brothers - about a mile from the proposed store - and sells many of the same products as Tractor Supply Company, told planning commissioners the national business “is the WalMart of the industry.” He argued that this would hurt his business and several other similar businesses nearby because shoppers had the impression big box stores have lower prices. His approximately 40 employees’ jobs could be at risk, he said. Fleet also argued that the stores were usually large and unattractive, and “it’s hard to make that design fit into the character” of the area. His business, he argued, had to follow much stricter guidelines when it was established a few years ago. Commissioners pointed out those businesses directly adjacent to Community Character Corridors (like Fleet’s) have stricter guidelines than the Tractor Supply Company site, which is more than 500 feet from the corridor. Commissioner Rich Krapf noted the commissioners’ job “is to make recommendations on land-use cases… it is not within our purview as to whether something is a smart business decision or not.” Commissioners Michael Maddocks and Joe Poole agreed with Krapf. Poole said he was mindful of Fleet’s concerns, but the application has a good setback from the road and is adjacent to a large retailer, and the land is already designated for a business use. Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the application, with an amendment to the features of the fencing around the business. There will be a large, black or green chain-link fence around the property, but the front facing the road will be made of vinyl and colored to match. Other business Commissioners also approved the Special Use Permit for the flea market at Colonial Towne Shopping Center. The applicant noted that if the shopping center, owned by the Ware family, is sold, the lease with the flea market would be terminated. The center is currently under negotiation. Commissioners also approved an SUP for the construction of an auxiliary gym at Jamestown High School.
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Comments
Once again, Commissioner Krapf gets is right.
Simply letting the pure marketplace have its way is not the smart approach to growth. Marketplace forces must be smartly managed to bring value to an area.
Is OldTimer going to buy the blighted, empty storefronts himself? If not, the dopey old fool should put a sock in it because his simpleton notion of how a local economy works will bring ruin to lots of local people. Duh.
I don't buy this attempt at demonization the local business owner was attempting. Sounds to me like he was just trying to protect his income.
Let the marketplace work its wisdom.
In the end, some will fold and leave their empty buildings as yet another abandoned, blighted shopping center in the county.
It is staggering how utterly stupid these county officials are. Don't they understand that is foolishness is destructive to the county? Why don't they get it? What on earth are their goals for the county?!? Do they have absolutely no brains?!?