Board denies rezoning for Dollar General Market at King William Road and Dabney's Mill Road

The King William County Board of Supervisors on the evening of the public hearing voted to deny a rezoning request to allow a Dollar General Market on a 3.86-acre portion of tax parcel 11-86, at the intersection of King William Road and Dabney's Mill Road.

Planning staff presented the proposal and the applicant made a three-part presentation detailing a reduced rezoning area, proffers and site changes. Joyce Wolf, senior planner, said the applicant had proffered landscape buffers, limited hours of operation, a prohibition on sale of alcoholic beverages and a commitment that the remainder of the parcel remain undeveloped. Matt Roberts, an agent for the applicant and representative of Renton Companies, described the store as a Dollar General Market (a larger Dollar General format that carries groceries) and said the applicant had reduced the rezoning area from roughly 8.7 acres to about 3.8 acres, added screening, limited delivery truck size and agreed to construct a right-turn lane if the county’s site-plan review found one warranted.

The hearing drew extended public comment, all but a handful in opposition. Residents raised concerns about traffic and sight lines at the curve where Dabney’s Mill Road meets King William Road, increased noise and lighting, store cleanliness and rodent issues cited at nearby Dollar General locations, and the potential long-term loss of rural character. Colleen Williams and Frances Guatley, among others, questioned the quality of food that would be available and cited national reporting about Dollar General workplace and safety enforcement.

Board members said they had heard both sides but that most of the attendees opposed the request. The planning commission had voted unanimously to recommend denial. After discussion, a motion to deny the rezoning application carried on roll call.

Votes at the meeting were recorded in roll call; the board voted to deny the rezoning application (vote recorded in meeting transcript as an affirmative roll-call to deny). No changes to zoning were approved and the applicant will need to return to the board for any substantially different proposal.

The applicant and county staff indicated that, if future site-plan review finds that a right-turn lane is required because of impacts attributable to the site, the applicant had proffered to construct it, and that truck size limitations (WB-40) were proposed to reduce large-semitrailer deliveries. The planning file lists the case as Z-02-2024.