Historic interests win over C-store

Preservationists prevailed after developers of a proposed convenience store off Gluckstadt Road near the historic Chapel of the Cross pulled their plans earlier this week.

A memo signed by County Zoning Administrator Scott Weeks and dated Feb. 8 says Fleet Morris has pulled their plans for the convenience store with four gas pumps at the corner of Mississippi 463 and Gluckstadt Road.

“The Madison County Planning and Zoning Commission and the Mannsdale-Livingston Heritage Preservation Overlay District will not be meeting this month,” the memo says. “The petitioner for Fleetway has withdrawn their Site Plan.”

The Mannsdale-Livingston Heritage Preservation Overlay District was slated to meet at the church to give the proposed convenience store a thumbs up or down on Feb. 15. The item would then go before the county Planning and Zoning Board and then on to the Board of Supervisors for final approval based on recommendations from the previous two bodies.

The developer, Fleet Morris Petroleum, was not available for comment as of press time.

Ellen O’Neal, a former attorney who specialized in county government and a member of the church who was among the church members involved in the campaign against the convenience store, said that she was happy to see the matter resolved.

“It worked! They have pulled their application,” She said this week. 

She called Fleet Morris’ decision to pull their plan “magnanimous” but noted that future developers may not be so considerate and that the church will stay aware of future developments.

“So while we have won for now, we will stay vigilant,” O’Neal said.

O’Neal credited the victory partially to the press coverage the issue has received. 

The overlay district was established in 2003 to protect the historic character of the area and specifically cites the Chapel of the Cross, constructed in 1848, and the China Grove AME Church two miles down the road.

Section 1903 of the zoning ordinance establishing the overlay district includes prohibiting fast-food restaurants, mechanical garages, apartment buildings and service stations.

It specifies that service stations and convenience stores are only allowed on Highway 463 within 500 feet of Highway 22 to allow for the Livingston Mercantile at that intersection.