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Resident opposition mounts as board prepares July vote on waiving 2003 proffers for proposed 7‑Eleven
Summary
A Gloucester Point resident urged supervisors to deny a request to remove 2003 proffers to allow a 7‑Eleven with gas pumps at the former Rite Aid site on Route 17; the planning commission forwarded the application 4‑3 and the board will consider it at its July meeting.
Jeannie Pendigraft, speaking for neighbors near Gloucester Point, asked the Board of Supervisors to retain the property’s 2003 proffers and reject an application that would allow a modern convenience store with fuel pumps at the former Rite Aid location on Route 17.
Pendigraft cited traffic and safety concerns on an already busy corridor and argued that the proposed building and signage would erode the smaller‑scale coastal character of Gloucester Point. She suggested alternative uses for the vacant parcel that would generate daytime economic activity—medical clinic, family‑oriented retail, or professional offices—rather than a drive‑in convenience store that could increase evening impulse stops and turning movements.
Planning staff reported that the planning commission voted four‑to‑three in favor of the applicant’s request to waive the proffers; the matter now proceeds to the Board of Supervisors for a final decision at the July meeting. Several supervisors commented that the board must balance land‑owner rights and the comprehensive plan with neighborhood concerns and that their authority is limited to rezoning and proffer decisions rather than selecting which private business ultimately occupies a lot.
Supervisors said they would take public comment again when the item appears on the July agenda. No vote was taken at the town hall.
