DALEVILLE, Va. – A development company is looking to open a Sheetz gas station in Botetourt County. But so far, hundreds of people think bringing in a bigger chain will hurt their community instead of doing good.
People with the family-owned convenience store and gas station Mama D's in Daleville recently went door to door passing out a letter, making sure everyone knows about the proposed Sheetz.
A neon sign with the words "Say no to Sheetz" is one of the first things you see before walking into Mama D's. The owners and their daughter, Manisha Hall, say the chain will be a negative for the community and residential areas.
"Momma has invested 20-plus years of her life in this business. So she has a lot of loyal customers and we know that they will stay loyal regardless of what happens," said Hall.
Manisha Hall says her family is among the local business operators who received a letter to attend a rezoning meeting June 27. About 50 people attended. They say plans to build a Sheetz on the corner of Roanoke and Catawba Road were presented. But Hall and her family aren't convinced another gas station is needed. There are five in the area.
"They did express that Sheetz goes on, they are busy corners. Which we understand that, but they did not seem to have any other interest in mind in this area at that time," said Hall.
More traffic congestion is a huge concern. The other concern is the closing of several small businesses already sitting in the area of the proposed gas station.
Some residents say it's the small-town feel they want to keep around.
"The store owner here, during the Derecho, they tell me the machines are down. I looked at him and I said I didn't have any cash. He says OK, go ahead, take what you need and settle it later," said Charles Leonard, a resident.
Hall and her family collected more than 800 signatures from people against the proposal.
The county sent an email response to the proposed Sheetz stating:
"Botetourt County's Division of Planning and Zoning has received application materials proposing a Sheetz store in the County. As with all applications for proposed development, Planning and Zoning staff are working with the applicant concerning the details of the project and a timeline for moving the application through the County's approval process. No decisions or timelines have been finalized at this point nor has the County advertised for a public hearing on this project."
WSLS 10 reached out to John Wilson, director of development at Morgan Property Group in Charlotte, for a response multiple times Wednesday; so far he hasn't responded.