How big is too big? Come to the public input session, December 8
Big box stores are still big at 50,000 square feet. At that size, they already have an inordinate impact on traffic, noise, neighborhoods, and local businesses downtown. They still call for the same community scrutiny as their overgrown cousins.
Numerous towns, cities, and counties around the U.S. have capped retail store size at 50,000 square feet or even smaller. Blacksburg requires a special use permit for retail over 80,000 square feet, but allows anything smaller without any special scrutiny.
Now the town is considering reducing that limit to 50,000 square feet, among other possible changes to our regulations for "large format retail." A public input session will be held on Monday, December 8 th at 7:00 p.m. in the Police Department Training Room, 300 Clay Street. Please come to provide your input and tell the town that the same protections we have from big boxes over 80,000 square feet should also apply to stores between 50,000 and 80,000 square feet.
Here's some helpful information on size-cap ordinances.
You are invited to the BURG holiday party!
Sunday, December 14, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
At Gillie's
We'll be celebrating community and our trip to the Virginia Supreme Court in January
Live music by Mike Maycock, jazz guitarist from the award-winning Roanoke band, Monkey Fuzz
Appetizers and cash bar for beer, wine, and cocoa
Admission $10, to benefit the BURG Legal Fund
Consider giving your town a great holiday gift
We urgently need to bring our legal fees current in advance of the January court date in Richmond, and to ensure that our lawyers are able to mount the strongest case possible. Here's a letter that one of our members is sending to friends and family:
"This year, please support a cause that is dear to me, instead of buying me a gift."
Dear Family and Friends:
This year for the holiday season, I am sending out a different type of wish list to those of you who usually buy me a holiday gift. Please consider choosing the one item on my list. Instead of buying me a gift item this year, please donate that money (however little or much) to a cause that is incredibly important to me: Blacksburg United for Responsible Growth (BURG).
This would be the most meaningful gift that you could possibly give me right now, because it is an issue that I have been dedicating a great deal of my time and energy towards for over a year now.
As you may know, I have decided to make Blacksburg my permanent home. Unfortunately, an out-of-state developer proposed to build a Wal-Mart Supercenter only 2 blocks from my house. I feel strongly that a Wal-Mart - in that location and in Blacksburg in general - will severely compromise the quality of life in our town. I have been working with a citizen's group (BURG) to fight the proposed Wal-Mart. We have been successful with getting the case into the Virginia State Supreme court, and things are looking good. However, we need to raise money to pay for the attorney fees to fight the case. Such money is not an issue for these wealthy developers but it is a huge issue for us.
There is no greater gift that you can give me this year than helping me, and my Blacksburg neighbors, keep the Wal-Mart out of our hometown. It would mean the world to me.
You can donate online at: www.bburg.org or mail a check to me, made out to BURG.
Thanks and happy holidays.
Check the BURG website at www.bburg.org, for the latest news and to check the status of our legal fund.