Dollar General rezoning denied

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - A new Dollar General expected on the north side of Terre Haute gets the thumbs down from Vigo County Commissioners.

The future of lot 6753 Clinton Street, is destined to stay empty a little longer.

The property was the hot topic at Tuesday's Vigo County Commissioners meeting; commissioners denied re-zoning for a Dollar General.

Harold Seifers, owner of the property up for re-zoning says the land is already zoned commercial and eventually a business will operate the lot.

"This is going to be commercial, it is already zoned commercial. I bought this property because it is zoned commercial, that's why I bought this property. If a dollar store doesn't go in there, then something else is,” said Seifers.

The property is zoned C-1 which allows for a 5,000 Square foot business. The Dollar General would have required a C-2 zoning of 10,000 square feet.

Melanie Hurst who lives two doors down from Seifers’ property says it wasn't the type of business that concerned her, it was the size.

"We’re not opposed to a 5,000 square foot C-1 commercial building. If they want to put one in, that would be wonderful but what we are opposed to is taking this enormous building and dumping it into a subdivision,” said Hurst.

Seifers says he was trying to find a business that would have been a suitable neighbor but since the land is already zoned for commercial property, he doesn't always have to seek neighborhood approval.

"I do not have to come in-front of any commissioners, any zoning appeals, it’s already zoned. All I have to do is submit a site plan and start building."

Which means it's only a matter of time till the surrounding neighborhood receives a new business.
According to Hurst, a new business is a great addition as long as it doesn’t take over the neighborhood.

News 10 found that eight Dollar Generals already exist in Terre Haute and one in West Terre Haute.