Wilderness Wal-Mart: Local Elected Officials Vote to Approve Big-Box Development on Civil War Landscape
by National Trust for Historic Preservation on August 25th, 2009Written by Rob Nieweg
Shortly after 1:00 am this morning (August 25, 2009) the Orange County (VA) Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to approve a plan to build 240,000 square feet of big-box development within the historic boundaries of Wilderness Battlefield and immediately adjacent to the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park. The infamous “Wilderness Wal-Mart” is a joint project of Wal-Mart, JDC Ventures LLC of Vienna, Virginia, and 3 & 20 Limited Partnership of Burke, Virginia. Attorney Thomas Kleine of Troutman Sanders represents Wal-Mart and its partners.
Orange County Supervisors Lee Frame, Teel Goodwin, Mark Johnson, and Zack Burkett voted to approve Wal-Mart’s special use permit. Only Supervisor Teri Pace voted against the proposal. The Board’s vote to approve the special use permit surprised no one familiar with the controversial issue. In fact, a majority of the Board has publicly supported Wal-Mart’s project for many months.
Unfortunately, Wal-Mart’s proposal has polarized the Orange County community. One camp supports big-box development on the proposed site regardless of the cost. Another camp supports economic development coupled with battlefield preservation.
More than 100 people spoke during the public hearing. Most of those local residents who spoke in favor apparently see Wal-Mart’s planned Superstore as the cure for Orange County’s current economic troubles. Wal-Mart’s local public relations blitz has promised Orange County jobs, tax revenue, and convenient shopping.
The contentious public hearing, which began at 6:00 pm on August 24, was held in a sweltering high school auditorium and was reminiscent of recent town hall meetings on health care reform. Over the weak objections of Chairman Lee Frame, the audience responded to pro-Wal-Mart testimony with applause and to pro-preservation testimony with cat calls. By contrast, the local Planning Commission held two remarkably civil public hearings on this matter without the distraction of disruptive behavior.
To many, the Board of Supervisors seemed ill-prepared for the public hearing. In their comments, Supervisors Mark Johnson and Zack Burkett repeatedly signaled their resentment at outsiders and those who disagree with Burkett and Johnson’s support for Wal-Mart. As today’s Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star makes clear, Supervisor Johnson utterly dismissed the perspective and credibility of those seeking to protect the National Park by shifting Wal-Mart and large-scale commercial development elsewhere in Orange County.
Testimony in favor of battlefield preservation was given last night by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and its allies, including the Civil War Preservation Trust, Piedmont Environmental Council, National Parks Conservation Association, Preservation Virginia, and Friends of Wilderness Battlefield. The Board of Supervisors allowed just three minutes each for input from the National Park Service and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation opposes the flawed proposal because it will spark more incompatible commercial sprawl, harm Wilderness Battlefield, and radically urbanize the rural gateway to the National Park.
Preservationists do not oppose economic growth in Orange County but have asked Wal-Mart to relocate its store to one of many alternative sites in Orange County but away from the battlefield and National Park.
Representatives of the National Trust for Historic Preservation have met on the historic battlefield with senior executives from Wal-Mart to be certain they understand what’s at stake in Orange County.
Now the fate of this critical corner of Wilderness Battlefield is in the hands of Wal-Mart CEO Michael Duke. We urge all friends of Civil War heritage to email Mr. Duke and ask him to reconsider Wal-Mart’s flawed plan to develop hallowed ground.
Rob Nieweg is the Director of the Southern Field Office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
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August 25th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Please reconsider this location. Thousands of men died on this ground. It should be perserved as sacred ground.
August 25th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
This battlefield should be preserved as hallowed ground where thousands of men died. I am a former associate (9+ years) of Wal-Mart and am loyal to the company, but I sincerely wish you would reconsider the location of this new store. Surely there must be other sites in the county that would meet all the criteria without damaging this sacred ground.
August 26th, 2009 at 12:49 am
“… and to pro-preservation testimony with cat calls.”
This is a FALSE Statement. In point of fact, Pro-preservation speakers were also met with applause from some members of the audience. And it was not a “contentious” meeting.
“..just three minutes each for input from the National Park Service and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.”
EVERYONE was allowed just three minutes, not just those groups. You write this as though others were allowed more time.
Oh, and by the way – Terri Pace votes against everything. She can always be counted on to vote against all proposals. Residents and builders in Orange County know and experience this fact.
Please, if you are going to do a write up, have the integrity to keep to the facts. You, and by association all preservationists, loose credibility – in fact, HAVE already lost credibility.
PS – this is not battlefield where thousands died. that site is much further up RT 20. Soldier may have set foot on this property, but the battle was not there.
Kaitlyn
August 26th, 2009 at 11:45 am
Sadly, the approved big-box development in Orange County, Virginia, is located entirely within the historic boundaries of the Wilderness Battlefield.
“’Wilderness Wal-Mart’ supporters argue that because the proposed store site lies just beyond the park, it lacks historic significance, a profound misunderstanding of the nature of history. In the heat of battle, no unseen hand kept soldiers inside what would one day be a national park. Such boundaries are artificial, modern constructions shaped by external factors, and they have little bearing on what is or is not historic. To assume the park boundary at the Wilderness encompasses every acre of significant ground is to believe that the landscape beyond the borders of Yosemite National Park instantly ceases to be majestic. With Civil War battlefields we have a true tool for determining historic value: the findings of the congressionally appointed Civil War Sites Advisory Commission. I was privileged to serve on this distinguished panel of historians and lawmakers, and I stand by our decision to include the area Wal-Mart is considering within the battlefield’s historic boundary.” Prof. James McPherson, The Washington Post, May 3, 2009
August 26th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
[...] 26 August 2009 Disappointed but not surprised Posted by mebrett under Politics, Preservation Leave a Comment The Board of Supervisors for Orange County, VA, has approved at WalMart on the Wilderness Battlefield; see the coverage from the Associated Press and the NTHP’s blog entry. [...]
August 27th, 2009 at 8:59 am
[...] 27, 2009 Wilderness Posted by Suzanne Fischer under preservation Leave a Comment This week, a blow for preservationists in Orange County, VA. The county board has approved Walmart’s plans to build a store on the [...]
August 27th, 2009 at 10:21 am
I have been working on a grass roots movement to stop the History Channel to stop airing Walmart Ads on their channel. Please email or call the history channel and voice your opposition for this disgraceful destruction of a national landmark. I am sure that the ghosts of the soldiers would rather not sit in aisle 3 with the paper towels for all eternity.
The person who I have been contacting is Amy Baker, VP Ad Sales, History Channel.
Thanks for all your support.
August 31st, 2009 at 11:54 am
While the property is 100% within the study area of both the Wilderness Battlefield and Chancellorsville Battlefield, you don’t point out that according to the American Battlefield Protection Program records, the Wilderness battlefield is 24.8 square miles and Chancellorsville is a whopping 64 square miles. That’s all of upper Orange County! In fact, every one of the ‘alternate sites’ being considered is a part of the historic battlefield as defined by the 1993 Commission and current ABPP boundaries. There is no site in the vacinity that is not in the historic battlefield. The Chancellorsville Battlefield is so big in includes the entire Route 3 corridor from just west of the I-95 interchange all the way past Lake of the Woods. This area includes thousands of existing retail stores. Are you going to opposed anything proposed in this area?
September 2nd, 2009 at 4:45 pm
My great great grandfather was wounded at Wilderness and his brother was killed in action there on the same day, along with many brave soldiers. I consider it a disgrace that a multi-billion dollar corporation like Walmart deems it necessary to build on such hallow grounds. I will refuse to step into any Walmart ever again and recommend to everyone I know that they boycott the store unless Walmart reverses their decision.
September 14th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Dear Mr. Green:
Thank you for your August 31, 2009 post and for sharing your opinion regarding the preservation of Wilderness Battlefield.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Wilderness Battlefield Coalition have asked Wal-Mart and its partner JDC Ventures LLC to relocate the planned big-box retail development to another site in Orange County. Unfortunately, the site approved by Orange County is within the historic battlefield, as you acknowledge, and is immediately adjacent to the National Military Park. The proposed project at this site would harm the battlefield and encroach upon the National Military Park. It would quadruple commercial development at the intersection of Routes 3 and 20 and, thereby, compound earlier land-use planning errors. The project would open the door to more incompatible development, radically urbanize this highly significant and vulnerable historic place, and undermine the visitor’s experience of the battlefield and National Military Park.
Local newspapers have reported on some but certainly not all of the potential alternative sites offered to Wal-Mart and JDC Ventures LLC. The National Trust has spoken directly to Wal-Mart executives, but is not privy to the full list of alternative sites in Orange County which were under consideration.
The National Trust and Wilderness Battlefield Coalition do not oppose economic growth in Orange County. That’s why we offered in January 2009 and again in April 2009 to fund a preservation-based land-use planning process to envision a sustainable balance between economic growth and historic preservation at the gateway to the National Military Park. Orange County is a necessary partner to any such land-use planning study, which would be consistent with the County’s comprehensive plan. The planning study proposed by preservationists would have evaluated a range of options for development and would have given us the benefit of intensive and expert evaluation. Unfortunately, Orange County elected officials abruptly dismissed the Coalition’s offer to sponsor the land-use planning study.
We may renew our offer to fund a land-use planning study. If Orange County elects to participate, we all would have the information necessary to know where significant commercial development would be compatible with preservation of the battlefield and National Military Park.
Sincerely,
Rob Nieweg, National Trust for Historic Preservation