You might as well move back to Cary

More threats of bix box development looming on our borders:

When M. Travis Blake first pitched the idea of Williams Corners -- a 500,000-square-foot, mixed-use development off U.S. 15-501 and Lystra Road -- residents in adjoining neighborhoods helped him persuade the Chatham County Commissioners to give their approval.

Now Blake is saying a Target or a Kohl's might be among the tenants when the development opens in late 2007. In an e-mail sent this week to residents of Wilders Ridge, an adjacent subdivision, Blake described changes that could be submitted soon for county approval...

Jamie Nunnelly, who received the e-mail, said Thursday she thinks Blake might have engaged in a bait-and-switch maneuver to gain local support.

"One of the things he said to us was, 'Would you rather work with me or would you like to see a big box development?' " Nunnelly said. "He said that to us more than once."
- heraldsun.com: Chatham big box store plan surfaces, 6/9/06

Sounds like a threat as well - as a false choice - to me. The article continues:

"I might as well move back to Cary," she said. Nunnelly said she moved from Cary three years ago to get away from large developments and bright lights.

Can you take the sprawl with you, and shut off the lights behind you when you leave? Thanks.

Comments

Ruby, your map may need a little tweeking. The star seems to indicate Old Lystra Rd rather than Lystra Rd.

The star was just supposed to indicate the county line so folks can see how close it is to Chapel Hill. I shuld have been more clear.

We've decided to try for a Mega-Big-Box Tube Socks Outlet instead of a Flea Market on the WCOM property- You may want to move the star...

GREAT! Tube socks w/i walking distance!!!! :)

go check out the rane website

Just to follow up, since the reporter didn't quote everything I said, my husband and I moved away from Cary because we wanted to live in a rural area. We drive a lot farther to commute to work as a result. Travis first came to us last year to say he was going to develop the land directly behind our neighborhood. Originally it was going to be 40-80 upscale townhouses right behind us, with medical buildings in the valley off 15-501 (referred to as the Pit, because that's where they buried the Old Bynam Bridge when they were widening 15-501), and he was going to have a small grocery store, along the lines of a Fresh Market, and three of four sit down restaurants.

We, along with the CCEC and some other groups, sat down and talked to Travis and actually endorsed his development, because he was promising to do it in a sustainable, environmentally friendly way.

Then we didn't hear from him until about a month and a half ago, when he said his plans had changed. We met with him and his new partner, Zapolski & Rudd. Since then, they said they are backing off putting in a major retailer (big box) in Williams Corner. However, they will be going to the Chatham County Planning board meeting on Monday (July 17th) to get Polks Center passed, When we questioned them on that development, which is just across the street on 15-501 and Polks Landing, they said it would be a real small retail development with an office supply store, like a Staples, in it. Now I read in the paper the other day, that Polks Center will have a furniture store, a pet supply store and an art theatre. That's a lot larger than what he told us. I also think it sets the prescidence for them to say that the retail corridor is already being established in N. Chatham along 15-501. If we don't oppose this, we will soon have a traffic nightmare on either side of Chapel Hill!

Chatham County is trying to set up a master plan, but we cannot do so until our new county commissioners are in place in December. My hope is that the planning board will put a moritorium on new developments until the master plan is in place, but I know that is wishful thinking.

Jamie, building big new houses in the country and commuting long distances is exactly what is causing the "large developments and bright lights" that you are trying to avoid.

 

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