It is unfortunate that this issue cannot be resolved so easily.  If closing Oriole were the be-all and end-all solution to all of the issues surrounding this project, then it would have been offered by the developer long ago.  The fact is, he is counting on that road being open in order for the development to set a precedent for future traffic patterns.

While closing Oriole to all but emergency traffic would help (there would always be a few who will try to circumvent it), there remains the issues of noise, pollution, and damage to real estate values.
Noise from semi trucks, using Oriole as their service entrance, would be backing up and beeping in the wee hours of the night.  Then the clamor and noise from the unloading...forklifts, banging, loud talking...no citizen should have to wear ear plugs to get a decent night's sleep.  Yet the 55-and-older citizens of Hawthorne Greene would have to put up with that night after night.

There is no question in my mind that the proposed development will cause home values to drop.  There are already more than a couple of homes along the Oriole and Magnolia streets that have taken very long times, or are STILL for sale, due to the traffic that already exists today.  To be fair, some of that is from our own communities...we can't all work at home, as much as we wish for it.  But added traffic on our already narrow streets will only make their plight worse.

I can't dispute the fact that there will be development of some sort.  It is the lack of smart development that has caused this to erupt into a struggle.  I'm all for someone to achieve the American dream.  If someone has a good and novel idea or business, they should be free to pursue it.  But smart business men should also know that the people around their place of business can be their best customers or their worst enemies.  Provide the goods or services those people need without impacting their livelihood and they'll be eternally grateful.

We have in La Plata five businesses (and one forthcoming) with pharmacies that are within a mile of each other.  Does La Plata need six pharmacies?  Maybe.  But the Town Council and Board of Planning and Zoning have so far done nothing to at least spread out these businesses so that they can serve more of La Plata than just the Route 301 corridor.  And everyone has turned a blind eye to the fact that this proposed development for a large store will be located just north of an already vacant large square footage building but has been abandoned by its previous tenant.  Not smart planning to me.  Should the town's board name be changed to just the Board of Zoning?

Finally, the neither Town Council nor the Board of Planning and Zoning have done so much as to put forth any measure to review the types of businesses that should or should not be allowed to occupy spaces near residential communities.  Some towns do have ordinances that set minimum distances between adult-themed or liquor-selling businesses and residential zones and I think it is time that La Plata consider one now.

We need the idea of smart development of a town community to be fashionable once again.  I'm just one voice, but I do hope that this blog topic can be a springboard for others to give their opinions.

J. McCright-  I think you make some excellent points here!  It's important for citizens such as yourself to be vocal about your concerns to help ensure the quality of life that you currently enjoy.  While the property in question is zoned commercial and has been for quite some time, the region needs to take into account the fact that people live in immediate proximity, and much like the Target construction, there are needs and concerns of the surrounding residents that MUST be taken into account.

    Let's hope that any development project that ends up going through there will help to protect the residents concerns and interests.