Safeway Gas Update

...and there's something for you, Brim....


http://www.depression.com/

 

Carol ... Circle K is still selling gas at the old Mobil location, and yes, it is Sunoco now since Sunoco bought a bunch of Mobil stations in the Mid-Atlantic area.

Safeway has been building a gas station next to the phase II of the Broadlands shopping center for about a month now. It will be selling gas under its own name, however, the gas could be coming from any major distributor.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

Just a quick update, the county has changed some of their requirements and we are now looking at 12/15 opening for the gas station. Yes, there will be promotions offered that are tied to the club card. Stay tuned!

 

Congrats on leveling the only buffer there was between the gas station and the houses across the street! Good Job!

 

homer, it's always been in the plan. We can't help it if you can't read.

 

The plan didn't say they were going to level the hill that was blocking some of the view. They could have left that. I suppose you find a gas station visually appealing? FYI - the plan did not originally have a gas station in it back in 1999.

 

Zansu - What is so wrong about trying to minimize the ugly effects of a gas station when it is right across the street from other people's homes? Plans generally don't give exact details of their final drawings, and nothing done in a plan looks like it does in reality.
The lack of care for ones' neighbhors is really astounding in this community and quite sad. I've met good people here, but the forums really show some incosiderate neighbhors who don't gove a damn about anyone else.

 

Don't shoot the messenger. She's partially right, there will be a buffer there, just less wide than the one behind the phase II building. Any developer is going to try to minimize the buffer, they are doing exactly what the county requires.

Just wait until Wendy's and the other fast food pad are operational, you're going to have parking spaces lined up along that area with less buffer than the gas station. And I suspect without a 'hill'.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

I apologize if I sounded uncaring. I was responsing more to Homer in general than to that post in specific. mea culpa. Of course it would be better to have better screening, as long as they don't completely screen them like in Reston where you can't find anything! They did, at least make the backs of the buildings pretty.
As to the hills, those are temporary holding areas for developers to store today's dirt for tomorrow's leveling, never hope or despair (depending) that a dirt pile on a construction site is permanent until they plant on it.

 

moral of the story: research before you buy. =)

 

And to jump on Safeway for "leveling the only buffer' is an ignorant comment. The county reviews and approves all grading plans submitted to them. There are safety requirements developers have to meet when it comes to the grading around sidewalks/curbs etc. It was probably leveled to meet county code.

 

I doubt very much that it was a "safety" issue since we all see how quick they were to put the light in. Plus, you really need that ability to see to your right since it's a right turn only! NOT. It's a one way street. The hill blocked nothing except for about two feet of the view.

 

and some of the current landscaping makes it impossible to see cars coming at you from the St Teresa's part of Broadlands Blvd as you exit the safeway ...

 

The light was a mixup between the Broadlands developer and Saul Properties. The county requirements are between Saul and the county.

I suspect that since the station may be open 24 hours, they may want to have an unobtructed view of the attendant's booth for security and safety purposes.

Just a guess ...

Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

Has the final surface course of asphalt been placed on Broadlands Blvd in front of the Safeway? If not, VDOT inspectors will make the developer remove or move back those trees that block the view when exiting the parking lot (sight distance requirement). The rule of thumb (may not be true for that road) is 100 feet for every 10 miles per hour of the posted speed limit. So you should have 350 feet of sight at that intersection. I think it is far less than that now.

 

It has not yet been turned over to VDOT ... and you're right, VDOT will make them remove any obstructions to drivers view of the oncoming traffic prior to the road going off bond.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

Why not with a stroller at night? It gets dark at 5:00 now and my husband and I walk every night after dinner all year long. We hardly see anybody out walking at night.....guess it's too cold for people. I will agree though - it's not easy crossing over Claiborne, it's worth your life even with the stop signs there. People just don't understand right of way!

 

I asked the Safeway manager if the gas station would be open 24 hrs and he told me no, that they planned on opening at 5 AM to start with and see how that goes. I forgot to ask him what time they closed.