The Aldi grocery chain is a step closer to opening shop in Union.
A request for a change in the concept development plan enabling the store to operate in the presently under-construction Union Promenade has been approved by the Boone County Planning Commission.
“The committee did spend a substantial amount of time reviewing this with the applicant,” Boone County Planning Commission Board and Zone Change/Concept Plan Committee member Rick Lunnemann said. “We had considerable discussion about inclusion of a grocery store within the development. This is a small store that promotes walkability of the community.”
The grocer’s inclusion in the site is consistent with the overall concept development plan, Lunnemann said.
The 2.5-acre site is located at the southwest corner of U.S. Route 42 and Children’s Way and the southeast corner of Children’s Way and Union Promenade.
In the wake of the planning commission’s action, the plan will now be advanced to the Union City Commission for final consideration, Boone County Planning Commission Chairman Charlie Rolfsen said.
Union resident Noreene Morgan said that the store will benefit the area.
“I am in favor of the grocery store,” Morgan said. “I think it would be good for Union Promenade, good for Union.”
As president of the Villas of Fowler’s Creek homeowner’s association, Morgan said she conducted a survey to garner feedback from residents regarding the potential grocer site.
“We have 78 people that live in our community,” Morgan said. “I asked members of our community to email me back whether they were opposed or in favor of the store. Results of that are 38 residents not opposed, 13 are opposed, ten no opinion either way. Not all residents chose to respond.”
The plan to include the grocer represents an unexpected shift and is unfavorable to Union resident Marvin Hensley.
“We share the driveway with UDF and this proposed Aldi,” Hensley said. “This is a major change in the concept that has been promoted for years. This has gone from being a live, work, play kind of development with high end restaurants and entertainment venues, to 30% of the road frontage in this plan assigned to a gas station and a grocery store. Neither of which fit the plan that was laid out for us.”
The potential for increased traffic is a concern raised by Union resident Brian Menshouse.
“You’re taking the original concept of restaurants and boutique retail locations, which are very low volume, to a grocery store that has a lot of people coming in and out,” Menshouse said. “We’re going to have a lot more traffic on our little residential road than what we had previously and it’s not in line with the development.”