We live in the neighborhood just to the east of the proposed Kum & Go site at the old industrial plant on Huntsville Road. While we agree the city needs to seek a use for the facility or sell it to recoup its losses, we do not feel this option is the best solution for southeast Fayetteville.
We urge residents to voice opposition to the proposed Kum & Go at this site for a variety of reasons:
1) Security. Convenience store employees are second only to taxi drivers in workplace homicide, according to a U.S. Department of Justice publication. The same documents note the risk of repeat victimization.
We have serious concerns about living so close to such a large facility, especially one that will feature extensive alcohol sales.
2) Demands by Kum & Go. According to an article in the Dec. 19 issue of the Northwest Arkansas Times, Kum & Go wishes for the city to “restrict other gasoline stations, convenience stores, tobacco shops or liquor stores within one mile.” We feel this is an unreasonable request, especially in light of the fact three stations already exist within one mile of the proposed location (Shell on 15th Street, Citgo and Phillips at Huntsville and Arkansas 265). This seems to demonstrate an intention for a “megastore” type facility. Furthermore, Kum & Go wants to pay only $100,000 of an estimated$475,000 to tear down the old plant, leaving the city with the majority of the burden.
3) Nearby church, funeral home and residential neighborhood.
The proposed facility is right across the street from a church and just down from a funeral home. While we have not seen the interior layout proposed, judging by other local Kum & Go locations, including one just up the road on Martin Luther King Boulevard, there would be an ample liquor section.
Additionally, bright lights and the noise created by a large convenience store simply do not fit with the existing surroundings of the community.
4) Traft c. Traft c would almost certainly be backed up turning out of the station (based on the current traffic on Huntsville), increasing the risk of people making dangerous left turns in an attempt to get out of the station.
5) Prevalence of nearby convenience locations.
As noted, just to the east of our neighborhood, less than a block from the proposed site, sits Citgo and Phillips 66 stations.
The EZ-Mart/Shell station on 15th Street is only one mile away. There simply is not a need for a store of this size on Huntsville Road.
Visit www.accessfayetteville.org to email your councilman and urge him or her to vote no on Jan. 17.
BOB AND ROSA
EDWARDS
Fayetteville
Opinion, Pages 5 on 01/08/2013