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Section 104 Grocery Store Lidl

Discussion in 'Broadlands Community Issues' started by TomH, Jan 19, 2017.

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Should Broadlands Sec 104 be re-zoned from PD-OP to PD-CC and allow a Lidl store to be built?

Poll closed Feb 16, 2017.
  1. Yes

    7 vote(s)
    26.9%
  2. No

    19 vote(s)
    73.1%
  1. TomH

    TomH New Member

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    Van Metre/Broadlands Associates applied for a zoning change for Broadlands Section 104 (construction east of Clyde's, north-west corner of Broadlands Blvd/Claiborne). It would re-zone from PD-OP (Office Park) to PD-CC (commercial) for a grocery store and PD-IP (Industrial) for a mini-storage facility. Several residents voiced concerns about this and Broadlands Blvd traffic to Supervisor Meyer and Van Metre. You need to make your voice heard. Vote here and/or e-mail the Loudoun Board of Supervisors!

    My concern is re-zoning from PD-OP to PD-CC for a grocery store, particularly a Lidl, isn't appropriate use of the land. Regardless of type, we already have plenty of grocery stores and don't need another.

    Within a short radius of the location there are five (5) Harris Teeter’s, two (2) Giants, one (1) Global Foods, one (1) Lotte Plaza, one (1) Ajwa Halal Meat and Grocery, and one (1) Whole Foods. Within easy driving distance, add two (2) Wegman’s and numerous convenience stores. There can’t possibly be enough shoppers to support the existing stores, as exhibited by the failures mentioned below.

    There are two failed/closed grocery stores nearby: Safeway, directly across Claiborne from the proposed site, closed several months ago with no prospects for re-opening even without this proposed competitor; and Bloom, on Portsmouth Blvd at Piccadilly Plz, closed a few years ago, still hasn’t re-opened, and would have even less chance with yet another competitor if re-zoning is approved.

    Van Metre is trying to sell Lidl as an “upper tier” “specialty” grocery, comparing Lidl to Whole Foods and the like. However, Lidl is known to be a “discount”, “big-box”, “low-cost”, “no-frills” grocery. They're known for going in, under-cutting competitors by their “big-box” "no frills" mode, with minimal staff (i.e. minimal jobs for the area), and 24 hour operations. This would further stress existing stores. I’ve been to Lidl's in Europe and there is nothing special about them, nor is there any indication US stores will be different. Lidl reportedly has significant labor relations issues for mandatory overtime, minimal pay, minimal staffing, anti-employee pregnancy stances, etc. Their style does not fit in with Loudoun's or the Broadlands' quality image.

    We simply don't need another grocery store built in the area. And if one is allowed, they need to use existing, available, and already approved locations, not build another. Failures take forever to turn around and draw down areas in which they exist.

    I appreciate Van Metre/Broadlands Associates has cooperated with nearby residents, increasing the height of the berm and increasing proposed landscaping to inhibit vehicle lights and parking lot lights from impacting nearby houses. I'm willing to bend and allow a gas station and office building look for a mini-storage facility. I’m pro business, but it needs to be the right kind of business, and another grocery store just isn't right.

    The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to take action on this 23 February 2017. Make your voice heard! Vote here and I'll forward the results to the Board. You can also e-mail the Board of Supervisors at:

    Ron.Meyer@loudoun.gov, Phyllis.Randall@loudoun.gov, Ralph.Buona@loudoun.gov, Suzanne.Volpe@loudoun.gov, Tony.Buffington@loudoun.gov, Geary.Higgins@loudoun.gov, Matt.Letourneau@loudoun.gov, Kristen.Umstattd@loudoun.gov, Koran.Saines@loudoun.gov, bos@loudoun.gov

    Tom Holz
     
    belmontguy likes this.
  2. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Tom.

    I think it's preposterous to add another grocery store - then again, I am against the entire project which nearly removed the last dense green space and beautiful trails left in Broadlands. It sounds to me like they are making provisions for future high density housing.
     
  3. JLC

    JLC Member

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    I read that Lidl is similar to an Aldi grocery store. I would love one of those nearby.
     
  4. wahoogeek

    wahoogeek New Member

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  5. GenericEric

    GenericEric Member

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    I do think there are way too many grocery stores around here, though I'm not sure its the job of the BoS to decide what will and will not be a commercial success on commercial property. That being said, its hard for me not to encourage any grocery store NOT named Harris Teeter to come in to the immediate area. If Lidl is similar to Aldi, it would serve a different market and provide some diversity of options around here. I'm not sure the current zoning of office space adds much to the area.

    The green space was nice... seems to be dwindling quickly in this area.
     
  6. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    But approving zoning CHANGES/EXCEPTIONS is.. and that's exactly what this boils down to. Trying to create another shopping center directly ACROSS THE STREET from one.. inside what is supposedly a PLANNED DEVELOPMENT.

    If people want a particular grocery store.. advocate with the landlords in the commercial centers that exist and were intended to be there as part of the master plan of the community. The fact the empty anchor store exists directly across the street.. along with an entire shopping center.. should make any such exception an immediate dead stop.

    Broadlands was put together as a planned development... not as some subdivided by-right for VanMetre to sell to whomever they can offer a lease to this month.

    Thank you @TomH for posting on this topic and bringing it to people's attention.
     
  7. GenericEric

    GenericEric Member

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    That's fair.... his main argument seemed to be against the *type* of grocery store. Aaaaaaand deep breath.
     
  8. jwf

    jwf Well-Known Member

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    There may be too many around here but none as convenient as Safeway was to some of us. I really miss that store since it has gone.
     
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  9. belmontguy

    belmontguy Member

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    It seems excessive to allow land for a new supermarket and gas station when the Safeway across the street closed leaving a empty anchor and a gas station in the Broadlands Village Center. The Publix scenario was a far-fetched rumor and seems another several years until they reach NOVA. Then again, it's not Van Metre's fault that Safeway closed and Harris Teeter basically has a monopoly on Ashburn. Let the voters decide.
     
  10. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

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    All this hype about THIS grocery store vs THAT grocery. They all sell the same products unless you're dying to buy their store brands. There are way too many concentrated in a 5 mile radius. It's excessive and wasteful use of land, especially when a vacant store and gas station sits across the street.

    Maybe in 20 years from now, buildings will be demolished to make way for more green space. What a novel idea.
     
  11. JLC

    JLC Member

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    Exactly why I would like to see something similar to an Aldi. Their store brands are so much cheaper than any other store brands.
     
  12. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    Well you could lead the charge of buying up property and leaving it vacant...
     
  13. belmontguy

    belmontguy Member

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    Like Saul's properties
     
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  14. TomH

    TomH New Member

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    Sorry if seemed I'm just against Lidl, that's not the case. I'd be against any new grocery store being built, other than occupying one of the existing sites. It just doesn't make sense given the number already present. My concern with Lidl in particular is that Van Meter and the Board seem to think its some kind of specialty store when it isn't. They may have some specialty items, but their reputation and apparent intent it to carry-on as they have in Europe: big-box, low-cost items and operations. But either way, we don't need another grocery building.
     
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  15. belmontguy

    belmontguy Member

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    Tom, you hit the nail on the head. The whole idea really brings no overall benefit to the community. Watching this area grow the past 15 years, any new town center is redundant. This just seems like overkill when there are vacancies that are quite suitable. However, they tore down all the trees, so the damage has been done. I can see the Bloom on Belmont Ridge and Safeway on Broadlands being vacant for quite a long time.
     
  16. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    Van Metre most likely stopped caring about benefiting this community when they sold their last home. Now they are simply trying to make the most $$$ they can.
     
  17. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    And the board approved it last week :hurl::bs:

    With comments like it's all commercial dev.... that's what it's been on the books for almost two decades! They cram town homes everywhere and have the Gaul to throw it back at you like it's a reward when they don't fist you.

    So much for planned communities
     
  18. kris

    kris New Member

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    I am disappointed with the tearing down of all the green spaces around Ashburn/Broadlands.
     
  19. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    I know....

    Its pathetic what's going on around us. In fact, I was driving down Northridge Blvd past Brambleton and I'm seeing SO many townhouse right after each other and now in OneLoudoun and Brambleton, they are building those fugly townhouses right next to the commercial buildings/stores. I'm thinking to myself: Who in their right minds would want to live right NEXT to these commercial buildings where people can peep into the windows or can see what's going on inside? In OneLoudoun the "row/townhouses" are abutting the parking garage in the backyard. So appealing....NOT.

    I just don't understand the mind of the developers/BOS when it comes to developing the leftover land in Loudoun County. I fear that when I retire in 10 yrs, Loudoun is going to look like Fairfax County....overbuilt and congested with very little green space left.

    I heard from a friend that many employees that work for developers are getting FAT bonuses/pay increases because they are raking in the $$$.

    In fact, I was looking at one of the VM townhouses in Western Brambleton near the Fire Department and was SHOCKED that they offer elevators in the townhouses as a $44K option! IF it breaks, you have to hire someone to fix it and its NOT cheap by any means. Most older folks aren't going to buy a 4 level townhouse as it gets harder to walk up four flights when you are older. Most younger couples are finding it very hard to afford these townhomes that are costing around 640-680K (Without the Elevator option). In order to avoid PMI, you'd have to put down 20% of the price. Many younger couples are finding it necessary to live paycheck to paycheck just to own such a home. Granted, its a nice house...but its way too much $$$ for an attached home for young couples. I would gather for that much $$$, it would be better to put into a single family home where you don't have to worry about neighbors on the other side of the walls. The HOA fees for those townhouses was $209 a month and that is BEFORE the builder releases the LAST house. I fear what the HOA fees are going to look like after the developer leaves.

    Lastly, I'm seeing MORE townhouses being built around Brambleton/Aldie/OneLoudoun/Broadlands than single family home. Yep, high density population growth is coming near you very rapidly. GMU, movie theatres and Metro are all going to benefit from it all....not to mention Loudoun County via taxes on the homes.

    I surmise that the traffic to DC and Fairfax County is going to be a mess down the road due to increased population growth in our county.
     
  20. decalr

    decalr Member

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    Are we getting both an Aldi and a Lidle?
     

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