By Duncan Nixon
Correspondent
The Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors gave final approval for a Wawa gas station and convenience store at Zion Crossroads on Wednesday night (June 21).
Community Development Director Douglas Miles said the county had worked closely with the developer to assure that the design of the site fits the county’s rural aesthetic, including modifications to the color scheme and building materials.
“This is the actual gateway to the county,” said Miles.
Ann Neil Cosby, an attorney for the developer, praised the partnership between the county and her client, saying all parties had been “very intentional about keeping the rural feel of Fluvanna County.”
The Wawa will sit on about 2.5 acres of the 4.7-acre site. The remaining acreage will eventually be developed for other business uses, although Cosby stressed there were no current plans to bring other businesses to the site.
The developers will also work to add better turn lanes on both the Rt. 250 and Rt. 15 entrances. This will include a change to the Rt. 15 side that could give motorists 300 additional feet to merge into a single lane once they pass through the lights at the crossroads.
No residents spoke during the public hearing, although Supervisor Chris Cunningham passed on a question from a resident asking if the site had to be open 24/7. While some Wawas are not open around the clock, the developer told supervisors that their lease with Wawa required 24/7 operation, both for profitability and to serve those late-shift workers looking for a fill-up and snack after a long day.
The motion to rezone the property passed by a vote of 5-0.
Resolutions
Wednesday’s meeting opened with two resolutions to honor citizens who had served the county.
Cecil L Cobb, who passed away in January, was posthumously honored for decades of work with the county.
Cobb was elected as the Fork Union Supervisor in 1996 and served for 12 years, six of them as chair. He also served on numerous committees and advisory boards, including the Fork Union Sanitary District Advisory Group, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Group, the Local Emergency Planning Committee, and was deeply involved with plans for the new high school and the Fluvanna County Library.
Supervisors also recognized outgoing County Attorney Fred Payne for his 37 years in the position. The resolution stated that he had “offered his knowledge and counsel to the Fluvanna County Planning Commission, the Board of Supervisors, Constitutional Officers, and the Staff of Fluvanna County….with honor and dignity” and wished him a “long and happy retirement.”
Payne is an avid hunter and facilitated the Wheelin’ Sportsmen deer hunting event at Pleasant Grove each January for the last several years.
Now that he was retiring, “we’d better all say a prayer for every turkey in Fluvanna County,” said Sheridan.
