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Council asks staff to pursue outreach to aid grocery recruitment near Mill Branch
Summary
Council members asked city staff to contact a developer contact, Bill Chesley, to explore ways the city can support recruitment of a grocery store at the Mill Branch development after prospective grocers raised proximity concerns.
Council members on Sept. 15 asked city staff to contact developer Bill Chesley and explore ways the city can support recruiting a grocery store for the Mill Branch area along south U.S. 301.
Councilmember Ernest asked staff to reach out to Bill Chesley to understand how the city can help recruit a grocery store in the South 301 area. The city manager indicated staff would take up the request and that a formal motion was not required.
Councilwoman Truesdale added context about retailer responses: she said some chains had cited proximity to other stores when declining, noting Fresh Market said a nearby Crofton location was too close and Wegmans cited another existing store as setting a proximity limit. She suggested staff might document market gaps and consider providing a letter of support or other assistance to the developer’s outreach.
No formal council vote was taken; the request was accepted for staff follow‑up.
