Chapel Hill Will Pay Dearly for Wegmans
A perspective from John Goddin
The Chapel Hill town council is preparing to rubber stamp another major change in the three-year-long approval process for Wegmans without any consideration as to the impact on the surrounding area or the best interests of the town as a whole or the consequences of public subsidies for Wegmans.
Wegmans, as currently configured, is a bad development. It includes nearly 13 acres of surface parking on a 15 acre site in one of the few areas left in Chapel Hill with land that can be developed. It lines a road that NC DOT plans to spend millions of dollars improving with pedestrian and bike paths with parking lots on both sides. It includes 250 more parking spaces than the upper limit needed by this type of business, including a large lot located within an existing neighborhood that is totally separated from the main Wegmans site by a busy road that will create dangerous pedestrian crossings. Chapel Hill and Orange County are subsidizing Wegmans with up to $4 million, compete with reduced sales tax revenue from existing businesses and knowledge that Wegmans will pay 30% of its employees minimum wage.
Wegmans is obviously very popular among the current leaders of Chapel Hill. Its Chapel Hill location is also contrary to the rhetoric most of those leaders claim to believe – diversity, affordability, neighborhood protection and transparency. It is exactly the type of development that is fueling the fundamental change that recent statistics clearly show happening in Chapel Hill as we become a less diverse, less affordable commuter town. Wegmans’ low-paying jobs will be filled by people who can’t afford to live in Chapel Hill, while the currently diverse and affordable neighborhoods nearby are paved over for parking or gentrified by a much less diverse population that commutes out of town for work.
Perhaps that type of development is what most Chapel Hillians really want, despite the supposedly progressive nature of this town. If that is the case, it would be helpful to have an honest and open conversation about the facts — instead of the misinformation and half-truths that have marked this process so far. Pretending to be one thing while your actions prove you to be something completely different is the height of hypocrisy and most of the town council and the self-styled “livable town” advocates in Chapel Hill unfortunately fall directly in that category. That is not lost on anyone who looks at Chapel Hill from the outside, but does seem foreign to many who live here.
Other towns in our area were able to secure much better planned Wegmans locations without having to pay them to locate there. Chapel Hill will pay dearly for Wegmans at any cost for many years to come in numerous ways — existing businesses will suffer and some will fail from direct, subsidized competition. Affordable and diverse neighborhoods will become much less so as the need for that type of neighborhood increases, while traffic and associated environmental problems will be exacerbated. Perhaps worst of all, Chapel Hill will further its reputation as home to a lot of hypocritical people — but at least we won’t have to leave town to shop at Wegmans.
“Viewpoints” is a place on Chapelboro where local people are encouraged to share their unique perspectives on issues affecting our community. If you’d like to contribute a column on an issue you’re concerned about, interesting happenings around town, reflections on local life — or anything else — send a submission to viewpoints@wchl.com
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bad choice on both sides….in a town that does not honor drive thru windows at fast food joints….chapel hill needs 2 get with the program…
I agree with John, this development seems super boring and it doesn’t make sense to me. 13 acres of parking in a 15 acre development…. good grief
Thoughtful and informative. I’m persuaded.
Terrible, misguided article written by a moron.
Chapel Hill has a very large Asian community who are also pleased to see a Wegmens. Perhaps you speak only for yourself and not others.
As to your comments about chapel Hill becoming less diverse, what exactly do you mean? The Asian community is at almost 30% now.
Or do you think it is your right to pick and choose which diversity you get? What would you do? Ban Asians from the town? How disgraceful.
As for for being a subsidized business, many of the smaller businesses also enjoy special privilege despite bringing less to the table in terms of wealth creation, an important matter in any fair society.
As to the people of chapel Hill bring hypocrites, how dare you insult the highly diverse people of chapel Hill. Again, diversity is not one race but many.
Next time say what you mean rather than try to fool people with weaponized words and highly charged statements.
I see racism in your opinion, not in the people of Chapel Hill.
Diversity isn’t about race in this case, it’s about class.
Wegmans is a great business, treats their employees extremely well, and have the best products available. I frequented their stores in Rochester NY and absolutely loved the experience. This resident is super excited that they are here. Welcome Wegmans!
Thank you for your insight. I could not agree more..how many food stores do we need? We are moving out of CHH next year..no longer a place to call home after 17 years running a local business across the way in Durham.
I look forward to shopping at Wegmans. I’ve been disappointed by other local grocery stores regarding produce, product selection, and check-out process. I’m a renter in Carrboro. who can’t afford to buy in Chapel Hill and I disagree with the notion that this Wegmans is going to make things worse off for the community
Horrible racist article. You insult the people of Chapel Hill. We have great diversity in our neighborhood.
You state your uniformed and hateful opinion as fact. I’m really looking forward to the new site, jobs and vibrance this will bring.
And there it is! Thank you Henry, you did not disappoint. The minute someone disagrees or points out facts, logic, ignorance or ESPECIALLY hypocrisy from the LEFT, they’re told how racist they are! It’s become the norm these days. Truth is, Chapel Hill is only for the rich anymore. $500k homes built on a 10th of an acre. No 100k-200k “new” homes built anymore in Chapel Hill. $1223 a month for a LUXURY 0 bed (yes, zero bed) 1 bath 630 sg.ft. “Studio” apartment at the new Carraway Village on Eubanks Rd!!! My house payment is a lil more than half that in Alamance County with well over twice the sq.ft. with a yard and a garage!! Homes for people that actually WORK in Chapel Hill is a lost cause. Municipality workers, retail workers, food service and so on. It’s the running joke of Chapel Hill employees… WE WORK FOR THE TOWN, BUT CAN’T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE IN TOWN. Chapel Hill; The town for the rich & the poor they get to pander to, Middle class not so much.
Went to the one in Raleigh, not impressed. Seems unnecessary for Chapel Hill.
While I agree that the town of chapel hill made a bad deal in order to attract Wegmans, I dont believe that Wegmans is the evil corporate entity the author professes it to be. Move on and quit complaining!!!
I guess Wegmans pr team is shilling in comments of local papers now!!! Or maybe someone actually had nothing better to do than defend a billion dollar company
Who’s the moron here?
Very poorly expressed,along with poor information. Must be a youngster.
Got a bit of an axe to grind, Henry?
Out of curiosity, isn’t the lot of 13 acres of pavement replacing a car dealership that was also 13 acres of pavement? It’s not like they’re paving over trees?
Drew, in Carrboro, you have one of the best farmers markets in the country right at your fingertips! Please consider supporting local farmers and farmers markets!
Can’t wait for Wegmans to open. Disagree with the opinion in this article. I shopped at Wegmans for years in Va and still shopped at TJ’s and other local markets. Employees are treated great and the products sold are top notch. The more parking spaces the better so we can all get in and out efficiently every trip. Love you Wegmans glad to have you come!!!!
Chapel Hill needs to draw taxes from retail rather than residents, it will take some time to recoup, but Wegmans is hoity-toity, and so is chapel Hill, seems like a fit to me. What chapel Hill really needs is at least one full sized big box retailer, right now we have a Lowe’s, so all that potential sales tax revenue goes right down the road to Durham, and don’t bother bringing up the micro-target on Franklin, try to get in their with the lush parking on Franklin.
John Goddin, where did you get your data that says Wegman’s “will pay 30% of its workers minimum wage”? They are well-known as one of the highest-paying grocery stores in the US. According to https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Wegmans/salaries, the LOWEST paid worker at Wegman’s still earns over $9 per hour, well above the NC minimum wage of $7.25!
I think the town needs revenue outside of property taxes, that certainly has an impact on everyone that owns a home in CH. As to the acres of asphalt, I’m pretty sure that that last tenant was Performance Auto Mall. I am concerned about the traffic pattern in and around the store as the intersection of Sage and 15-501 is a dangerous and poorly designed. I would say overall Wegmans will be a positive development for the town but it will surely create some issues.
There is free parking in the deck at Target.