Alexandria approved the site development plans for a Kubota tractor dealership with a gravel equipment lot at Poplar Ridge Road and the AA Highway.
The Kubota dealership will comprise office space, a showroom, retail, service bays, and storage areas. The 10 acres of land are currently vacant. The site did not require a zone change; it is currently zoned highway commercial.
The site fronts the AA Highway and Poplar Ridge Road, but access to the development will only be on Poplar Ridge.
“In your comprehensive plan, your future land use map identifies this as general commercial,” Campbell County Planning and Zoning Director Cindy Minter said. “Within your highway commercial zone, we don’t really have anything that says tractor dealership, but we have other things that are somewhat similar.”
Those similar items include:
- Truck sales and service, new and used
- Automotive and truck rentals
- Automotive and truck service and repairs
- Boat and other marine service and repairs
- Building supplies
- Gardening and landscaping supplies
- Hardware stores
- Tool and equipment rental
“It’s all things that, if you blended them all together, you’d be very close to getting a Kubota tractor dealership,” Minter said.
Heavy landscaping and trees are planned for the permitter of the site near Poplar Ridge Road and the parking lot.
“I’m very pleased to bring this development forward to you,” Minter said. “This has been an excellent group to work with. I think you will be really impressed with the quality of the building you’re going to get there as well.”
Tom Simpson, a resident across the lot, spoke at the meeting and said that light pollution was his number one concern with the development.
“Lighting. I noticed y’all kind of glossed over lighting,” Simpson said. “As I tend to pay a lot of property and income taxes and, I’m looking directly at your site. That’s my number one concern. Have y’all considered dark sky-certified lighting? What’s your lighting plan?”
The developer said the lighting will not shine on the residents, but they will be able to see the light produced on the building and the ground.
Simpson asked the developer to consider dark sky lighting and said he would even contribute to the cost.
Alexandria Planning and Zoning Commission Chair Nick Reitman said lighting was also a concern for him.
“We are not a complete country area, but I know exactly where you’re at (Simpson), and lighting was one of my concerns along with the dust,” Reitman said. “Like they said, they want to be a good neighbor, and they’ll look into it. At the very worst, you’ll just see the glow of the building.”
The developer made a note during the meeting to investigate the suggested lighting.
The estimated time for development is nine to 11 months. The hours of operation are anticipated to be Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon, and closed on Sunday.
