Cascade Residents Oppose Construction of Dollar General Store in Historic Rural Village
Originally published here.
CASCADE, MD News (6/19/2023) – Residents of Cascade, MD are rallying together to oppose the construction of a Dollar General store in their community at an upcoming hearing on July 6th. The proposal to build the store, put forth by Outdoor Contractors, a Hancock-based company, has faced strong resistance due to concerns over zoning regulations and the preservation of the village’s historic and rural character.
Washington County’s zoning guidelines for Rural Village areas explicitly aim to preserve the unique heritage and ambiance of existing villages by promoting compatible development within defined boundaries. The intention is to maintain similar density, scale, and use types as those already present within the village, preventing large or incompatible developments. While grocery stores, hardware stores, and gift or jewelry shops are permitted through special exceptions, convenience stores are not.
On May 19th, 2023, a Circuit Court Judge ruled in favor of the community, stating that the Board of Zoning Members and the attorney for Outdoor Contractors did not provide sufficient grounds or findings to grant a special exception for a convenience store in the rural village. As a result, the judge ordered a re-hearing of the case, instructing the county Board of Zoning Appeals to determine whether Dollar General could be considered the functional equivalent of one of the permitted businesses allowed in a rural village. A zoning notice posted at the proposed site of the store classifies the store as a “general retail/merchandise store”, while Dollar General’s own website focuses on serving customers with “value and convenience“.
Washington County’s zoning code defines a convenience store as follows:
Any retail establishment offering for sale: prepackaged or pre-processed food products, household items, and other goods commonly associated with the same and having a gross floor area of 5,000 square feet or less. Such establishments may also sell gasoline at retail prices. The area utilized for the sale of gasoline shall be considered as part of the gross floor area.
Concerned residents and opponents of the proposed Dollar General store are preparing for the re-hearing, scheduled for July 5, 2023, at 6 PM. The meeting will take place at the County Administration Building in Hagerstown, MD. It presents an opportunity for the community to voice their concerns once again and ensure the preservation of Cascade’s rural character, history, and beauty.
The residents of Cascade remain steadfast in their commitment to safeguarding their community’s unique identity, and they aim to demonstrate to the Board of Zoning Appeals the importance of upholding the rural village zoning codes that were put in place to protect their cherished way of life.