While I think this ordinance is a good idea, we should probably couple it with some kind of initiative that will enable small businesses to survive and thrive. Without that, the boxes are inevitable.
Foster diversity in retail and development, not big box stores that will suck the profits out of town a nd degrade the environment and the neighborhood.
Blacksburg could be so much more in terms of retail that has little resemblance to our neighbor, Christiansburg. The "Walmart" vision is just the easiest most profitable path for those not willling to make our town all it could be.
Any big box store will negate all the efforts put in to restoring the downtown area. I shop there when I stop in Blacksburg on my way north because of the nice shops. Christiansburg's big box stores are enough and are easy to access.
Look out for your own small businesses. I would consider moving to Blacksburg because of its charm which would disappear with the loss of many of those small businesses.
Why we need to turn Blacksburg into Christiansburg? Can't we just drive 10 minutes? We need to keep our small town sense. We need unique specialty stores, places to listen to live music, restaurants with white table clothes not WALMART!
The town ought to have decision-making power over it's environment.
It's sad to see how much Blacksburg has already lost it's small-town feel to high-rise construction and chain establishments!
If approval was obtained under pretense, I think that should be enough to void the permit. No one should be able to build upon a foundation of bad faith.
What is driving this? Bill Aden, President of the Blacksburg Partnership spoke in favor of the rezoning last spring. He was quoted in the paper today supporting another huge development project. The Blacksburg Partnership is made up primarily of wealthy developers and receives substantial financial support from the Town. Our tax dollars at work. Are they steering this development? We need to hold the Mayor and Town Council accountable.
A walmart in christiansburg is close enough. We do NOT need one in blacksburg. I love blacksburg because its small and quaint. Please keep it that way.
We don't need ANOTHER WalMart with two only minutes down the road. Is the town council thinking of the safety of the children at the school with the increased traffic flow? We just don't need it.
Isn't it clear by now that enough is enough? Apparently not to dollar hungry developers. Stop the abuse. As the comic Steven Wright has said, you can't have everything, where would you put it? Let's save what is, before it isn't!
The possible addition of large retailers such as Wal-Mart to the Town of Blacksburg would completely change the landscape, the traffic, the noise levels, the light pollution, the particulate pollution from car exhausts, and the quality of life in our town. As a resident of a neighborhood adjacent to an area ripe for this sort of development, I believe that an ordinance that requires extra oversight through a special permit before large retail buildings can be erected makes sense to protect our community.
We already have one within 10 minutes why do we need one within walking distance? we even have the BT going to wal-mart in Christiansburg, why do we need it here? it is a waste of good land. and we need to support our local businesses, and keep out these box stores.
Blacksburg does not need a super walmart. But it would be nice to have a small variety store downtown so we would not have to travel to Christiansburg.
The last thing we need is a wal-mart, i mean common just drive to C-burg. I love blacksburg cuz we don't have crap monopolies like wal-mart. it is un-necessary, why don't you guys work on filling up the space in kent square and the new place on prices fork where the bb&t is...
NO WAL-MART!!!!!! NO MONOPOLIES!!!!!
There are plenty of big box stores within easy reach of Blacksburg, and carbon copying them into the town would be so detrimental to the environment and atmosphere that I value in it that I would likely move away. Also, we need to support our local businesses.
There is no need for a Wal-mart in Blacksburg and I can't believe that the market would support it, along with the one in C-burg. One of the nice things about living here is a lack of big box stores.
This is an uneseccary move, the Christiansburg Wal-mart is available by bus and is only a maximum of a twenty minute car drive. Local businesses in Blacksburg need our help and support and this does not include the increases competition of a massive corporation. What are we saying to our communities if we let this pass?!?
Blacksburg citizens must retain control of deciding what businesses reflect who we are as a community. WalMart is a bad choice socially, economically,and environmentally. Pass this ordinance to keep decision making in our hands; keep WalMart out!
We are already losing too many stores of real value in Blacksburg. This kind of retail development will only make the situation worse (regardless of the new stores involved, but especially stores like Mall-Wart) and will surely drive out the existing stores like Kroger and many smaller stores in the downtown area. I have already seen this happen in several other places. The result is not more choice for residents, but less. Let's try to make Blacksburg better, not worse. Town Council members, please say NO!
One of the charming aspects of Blacksburg is lack of big-chain warehouse stores like the ones dotting the entrances into Christiansburg. We have ample access to the bottom of the retail chain in Christiansburg. Only small speciality businesses, such as those beginning to emerge in Blacksburg, can offer our limited population base the upscale end of the retail market. While developers have certain rights, so do we as citizens. I encourage a strong stand on this issue to protect and enhance our college town, not to expose and degrade what so many small businesses have attempted to uphold. This is a crossroad in the future of Blacksburg and we are the custodians of that future. Act wisely.
I know that as a former VT student and not a permanent resident of Blacksburg, my voice is probably not that important in this matter. However, I was an art student and my classes were ALL downtown, I worked at Mish Mish, and opted to support local business instead of "big box stores" every chance I had. My time in Blacksburg meant a lot to me because it is such a special town and there are so few left in this country. Please help to preserve small town culture and the uniqueness that goes along with it by keeping such businesses as Wal-Mart and Target out of the picture. Please. Please.
Town Council - do your job, please!! Don't allow this change in plans - it is dishonest, for starters, and not needed. This is inapproriate for the location next to a school and existing residential neighborhood. Just say no!!!
Town Council should support the citizens of Blacksburg, not the "rape the small business and pillage the landscape" money whores of which Wally World is the most agregigous. Please protect the town and especially protect the children attending Margaret Beeks.
A significant increase in traffic (particularly in proximity to Margaret Beeks Elementary School!)coupled with the inevitable loss of our local businesses--there is no positive to a big box store opening in Blacksburg.
I urge Town Council to reject big-box stores. There is no justification in putting a WALMART (or an alteernate big box)on this, or any other location, in Blacksburg.
The impact of the big box store is far greater than first realized. Not only will they drive out local stores they will absolutely control what products are available for sale in your area. Choice will be limited to what they chose to sell, not by the needs of the community.
The outcome of poor governance by the Blacksburg Town Council is now evident. Council was too easily taken in by the “bait and switch” tactics of the developer during the zoning process. There is no compelling reason for the mega entertainment complex currently being put forward, especially one that is adjacent to an elementary school! The example of the effects on downtown Christainsburg, by the large malls is something that should not be repeated. I support the remedy of special permit legislation to regulate these large developments. In my opinion, special permits for buildings larger than 50,000 square feet would be a better starting point.
