“The Dollar General in Bonlee has totally changed the character of the road I live on. Much more heavy traffic and noise! This is a community with a couple of businesses at the crossroad, so I accept a store like that was inevitable and actually beneficial to alot of folks. But one popping up in the middle of such a quiet, rural area is over reach and the residents should be at the table especially if a zoning change is necessary! Good luck and you have my support!”

— Virginia Ryan, Bonlee Resident

“As the Founder and Executive Director of Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge, a non-profit animal sanctuary adjacent to the proposed site, I am deeply concerned about the potential impact of this rezoning decision. First and foremost, there are significant traffic safety concerns. Our staff, volunteers, and visitors regularly travel this route, and the increased traffic from a commercial rezoning could pose serious risks to their safety. Additionally, the noise and light pollution generated by commercial retail stores would be disruptive, not only to our operations but also to the well-being of the rescued animals in our care, many of whom are highly sensitive to environmental changes.

As a committed Chatham County resident who has lived here for more than 12 years, I am also personally opposed to this rezoning. My decision to purchase land in this area was based on its peaceful, rural atmosphere, a quality that makes this region a special place to live. I believe we have a responsibility to protect and preserve the natural beauty and tranquility of Chatham County, ensuring that our landscapes, native wildlife, and plant life are safeguarded for future generations.”

-Lenore Braford, Founder and Executive Director of Piedmont Farm Refuge

“I have lived in Chatham County for more than 30 years and currently live on my dream farm on Castle Rock Farm Rd.  My neighbors and I, many on larger rural parcels and farms, raise animals, nurture large gardens and pursue entrepreneurial endeavors that are successful and fulfilling specifically because this is a rural area.  A rural area that is only 7 miles away from an already highly developed commercial area.  Hence, we have no need or interest in a Dollar General, “market”, or otherwise in our immediate community. As you know, and we know, a rezoning of residential land to commercial development here will set precedent, unleashing a cascade of rezoning requests in this corridor.  We realize your group already owns other parcels around this intersection and are surely planning for this eventuality. We will not have it. You can sell or build residences on large parcels instead, per current zoning.  As for a Dollar General, take your lights, take your road expansion, take your increased traffic accidents, take your aesthetically offensive building, take your increased crime, take your cheap imported products and put them right up...at the end of the street you live on. ”

— Melissa Frey, Cool Creek Farm, Castle Rock Farm Road

“We own and operate a sheep farm very near to the proposed Dollar General. We believe in self-sustainability, farming crops, raising livestock, and preserving our rural farmland for our children and our children’s children. Shop and support local farms not processed box store junk!”

- DL Lucero, Reckless Love Farm, Castle Rock Farm Road

“Development will come as we grow. Our County’s leadership has a responsibility to its citizens to oversee development that will enhance our community, rather than approving every financial opportunity that presents itself, regardless of quality of the endeavor. If the current rules don’t support that kind of process, then the current rules should transform into a paradigm that ensures responsible, sustainable growth that underpins our county’s rural agricultural heritage, while optimizing opportunity for local businesses to thrive. Dollar General is neither local nor a locally owned franchise; it is a corporate parasite that feeds off of rural communities like ours, statistically leaving those communities worse off. The time is now to begin saying NO to zoning and re-zoning requests that do not serve our community.”

— Whitney Schmidt, Red Pepper Farm, Henderson Tanyard Road

“Dollar General seem to bring nothing but trouble to otherwise calm, peaceful rural space.  Sheriff department calls to DG stores to sort out customer altercations are disproportionately high compared to other retail establishments, and armed robberies are rampant at DG stores, influenced by the design of the store where the cash register is typically hidden from view of the public, and the store is usually staffed by only one employee at night.”

— Charles Jones, Castle Rock Farm Road resident

“We are all experiencing this takeover by outside greed in our beautiful rural Chatham county! We need to make our voices heard if we want the proper representation by our county commissioners.”

— Cora, Pittsboro

I want to protect our rural areas and corridors. Not to mention there are 3 Dollar Generals heading up the same road into Graham. Different county but mileage wise they have it the area well covered. This does not fit the area and I see no benefit to the county or citizens.

- Rob Burns, Moncure

“We live in Cattail creek and oppose a Dollar Store in this area all together. Would like to keep the area the way it is.”

— Jock, Siler City

“It is clear the residents of the area are not interested in having this store in the area. Given that retail establishments are frequented by nearby residents it would seem that going to the trouble of re-zoning an area to put in an unwanted retail store is a waste of taxpayer resources.”

— Roy, Chatham County

“I simply don't understand why seemingly every piece of undeveloped land is viewed as a thorn in the county's foot. What is wrong with leaving open land alone? If there must be some sort of development, does it have to be something that we already have multiple of already?”

- Brandi, Chatham County

“Trash! Everywhere you go there are Dollar Stores littering the landscape. Do not ruin our community landscape with a repulsive business. They do peddle junk and useless garbage at those stores. Plastic who needs it?”

- Beryl, Silk Hope