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In Cumberland, the county’s comprehensive plan, adopted back in 2023, aims to drive economic development and growth to one of six “village centers” in the years to come. The planning commission hopes a new business application will be the spark that starts driving development to one of those areas, in and around the Clinton Rural Crossroads. 

The commission heard a presentation from a representative of Rhetson Companies during their Monday, May 19 meeting. Rhetson is in the process of buying a piece of land from Valco Investments, one located at the intersection of Blenheim Road and Anderson Highway. That’s why Rhetson representatives came before the planning commission on Monday, as they’re requesting a special use permit for the business they plan to put up on the site, a Dollar General Market. 

The applicant’s plans call for a 10,640 square foot Dollar General retail store, which would also have a DG Market section, so residents could shop for some groceries inside. Specifically, they need a permit in order to bypass a typical county requirement. Cumberland zoning requires one parking space for every 250 square feet of retail floor space in the building. The building is 10,640 sq. ft. with 8,572 sq. ft. of retail space. This will require 35 parking spaces, according to zoning.

Rhetson officials are asking to be allowed to only have 30 parking spots on site, which will allow them to design the property so that the front of the building faces Route 60. If they have to meet the 35 parking space requirement, then due to how the land is structured, the entrance to the Dollar General would be facing the back of the property. 

Another option in Cumberland food desert

Cumberland County is identified as a food desert, meaning that residents have limited access to healthy food options. That’s accurate, as a foodbanks.org map shows 13%-17 of residents labeled as “food insecure.” 

Now, to be clear, food insecurity doesn’t mean no options exist. It does however mean there are obstacles in the way. After all, it’s hard to plan on a weekly grocery run if you have no vehicle and no one to give you a ride. At that point, you just take what you can get. It’s also harder to eat healthy when there’s no grocery store in the county. 

Residents in the center of the county have the farthest to travel, in order to get food. Most travel to Powhatan, Buckingham, Goochland, or Farmville to get groceries or they pick them up on their way home from work. Over the last couple of years, the arrival of a Dollar General Market and Pine View Bulk Foods have helped some, but there are still challenges. If you live in the Cartersville or Columbia area, for example, you wouldn’t often make the trip to Pine View, as it’s close to Farmville. Adding this second Dollar General Market, along with the grocery store being built at 1481 Anderson Highway will give residents more options, officials say. 

‘This is a start’ 

Planning commission members acknowledged there’s not much in that part of the county and asked if a business like Dollar General would attract more companies to move in. 

“I’m hopeful that is the case,” said Cumberland Planner Stephany Johnson. “We are trying to entice other businesses and other development in these crossroads and village centers.” 

Johnson also said the fact it’s a Dollar General Market also gives residents some local grocery options where before they had none. 

“I believe this is a start,” Johnson said. “Getting more industry, more businesses in the county will be more beneficial to everybody here. And the fact that it’s a DG Market and not just a Dollar General store, I think, will be helpful to the residents in that area.” 

As for the parking space request, the Rhetson Companies representatives also presented a letter from the architecture and engineering department of Dollar General. It stated that a study had been done and showed that 30 parking spaces would be more than enough, even during peak times for sales. 

The planning commission agreed, recommending approval of the permit with Kevin Meadows and Matthew Seal in opposition. That included recommending the county allow Dollar General to have 30 rather than 35 parking spaces on the property. In Virginia, planning commissions are advisory boards, so now the permit request will go before Cumberland supervisors for a vote this summer.