Rendering of Rushco Davidson Market's signage, which was approved Tuesday.
Davidson’s Town Board on Tuesday approved a conditional zoning that allows the Rushco Davidson Market off I-77 Exit 30 to adopt signage that doesn’t meet current town rules. The 5-0 vote came after a brief presentation by economic development manager Kris Krider and a public hearing where no citizens spoke.
Rusher Oil Co. of Salisbury and developers Bobby and Joey Rusher have proposed a market, offices, gasoline pumps under a canopy and a single-story car wash the roundabout at Davidson Gateway Drive and Griffith Street. The Rushers (pronounced roosh-er) first won approval for the building about 7 years ago. After years of delays, they began construction this year and it’s now nearing completion.
Joey Rusher said Tuesday he expects it will take 4 to 6 weeks to manufacture the signs. That means the business could be open somewhere around Dec. 1.
The signage package includes on-building signs identifying the market and its services, gasoline price and brand signs, and signs identifying tenants on the upper floor. The gas station and shop is two stories, with a downstairs food market and upstairs office space.
Some of the signs are larger than what is allowed by the town ordinance. The town planning department issued a staff opinion recommended approval of the rezoning, and the town Planning Board also recommended approval.
For more about the signs and the new building, see our Sept. 29, 2010 report “Market won’t be your run-of-the-mill gas station.”
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This is no great surprise. The Town Board has consistently whittled away at the history of the Town by not resisting every demand made upon them. I am not angry but deeply saddened by the erosion of the values of our Town that have existed for generations and have served us well.
I have seen a bustling, financially sound downtown with tree lined streets and friendly “hellos” go to a financially stressed, commercialized bedroom community with “spot” events and growth being ruled and controlled by development demands.
I do not have all the answers (maybe not any) and consider several of the Board members and folks in administration friends. This should not be interpreted as and is not intended to be a personal attack on anyone, because I understand the pressures that exist while serving in a governmental capacity. It hurts me to see the transformations that have taken place over the last 10 years that have been dictated by outside forces. A lot of good has been done (support of Davidson IB, our library, tree ordinances, farmers market etc) but what has really been done to secure our future Town existence? I would ask those who serve this Town and community to just take a step-back and look into the history of Davidson. Then decide if it is something you want to try and preserve. It does no good to preserve the “small town atmosphere” if you don’t preserve the Town.