Orange+Walmart+Preservationist = compromise?

There appears to be a no-win situation brewing in Orange County concerning the proposed Walmart site. The preservationist groups are adamant that any building on the site proposed would destroy forever something they deem of historical significance. Walmart is just as adamant that this is the right site for their purposes. The planning commission has not yet spoken, but it appears the Board of Supervisors is ready to approve Walmart’s permit application. At the planning commission on June 11th, a new wrinkle was thrown into the mix. For the first time, the Virginia Department of Historical Resources (DHR) weighed in against the proposal. In a letter dated June 8, 2009, Kathleen S. Kilpatrick, the Director and State Historic Preservation officer left no doubt the 50-acre parcel in question is a “significant historic resource eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places”.

Given these facts, is there a solution out there? The one person who has been almost silent in this debate is Mr. Charles “Chip” King. Mr. King is the owner of land around and to the west of the proposed site. This property has been mentioned in several news articles as a possible alternative for Walmart. However, until now, Mr. King has been reluctant to speak out publicly about his concepts. I have been trying for months to talk with him about his ideas, and was recently granted an exclusive interview at his home.

Many things have been written about Mr. King, some not so flattering, so I wanted to get some answers. One thing that is said about Mr. King is that he is a “big” developer who wants to pave over Orange County. In fact, Mr. King has never developed any of the property he owns in Orange County, although he has many parcels he could have developed by now. He has owned much of his land in Orange County for over 30 years. Mr. King is an avid outdoorsman, and has used much of the property he owns as a hunting and fishing preserve. Mr. King has also been a benefactor to Orange County, which may be considered unusual since he does not live in the county. If you go to the Germanna Campus Visitors Center on Route 3, the flag poles, lights, and stone facing at the visitors center were all purchased by Mr. King and donated to the Germanna Foundation. He arranged for Ken Dotson to do the work on the flagpole and lights at no cost to the Foundation. If you go into the post office on Route 3, you will see a beautiful sculpture of an eagle he donated to the post office as a symbol of patriotism.

I asked Mr. King about his vision for the property he owns along Route 3. Since 1994, Mr. King has been trying to work with the county to develop what he describes as a “Town Center”. This Town Center would be a destination point for the county for holiday celebrations, shopping, dining, recreational activities and help create a sense of community. The other main objective was to help the county balance it’s tax base, something the county desperately needs. For many different reasons, he was not able to get the county to agree to a public/private partnership to develop the property. In January of this year, he signed on to a proposal with the Wilderness Battlefield coalition supporting a study called a “Gateway Vision Project” that would work with landowners, the county and developers to help reconcile the competing forces of preservation and development. Mr. King supported this proposal because he believes this process is wholly consistent with his original Town Center proposal and would accomplish the same objectives.

So what happens next? If the county moves forward with the Walmart plan as is, it is apparent the preservationist groups will do everything in their power to stop or delay the project. At some point, Walmart may decide the pressure is too great and abandon the project altogether, leaving the county without the jobs and revenue it needs. The landowners along Route 3 could conceivably move ahead with other smaller projects that would be viewed as even worse than Walmart. Smaller projects might not be required to go through the same detailed permitting process that Wal-Mart has gone through.

If the Coalition, the county, the landowners and Walmart worked together, what benefits might arise? For the Coalition, they could be viewed as a partner in the well being of the county, instead of being viewed by some as obstructionists that want no growth of any kind. Walmart could get a huge public relations boost for being sensitive to the concerns of the local community and preservationists. Mr. King would get to realize his vision for a gateway to the county. The county officials could have a workable strategic plan that could generate much needed revenue for the county for years to come, and not have to worry about fighting lawsuits for the foreseeable future. This could be the win-win situation the county has been looking for.