A beautiful area in Lyles (currently zoned agricultural) is on the table to be re-zoned to commercial. The specific area is part of a parcel near the corner of Highway 7 and Middle Lick Creek Road, near Cedar Crest Camp (Map 040 Parcel#073).

If this parcel is re-zoned, a Dollar General is apparently in the works to be built on that site. The changing of the area to a commercial property and the presence of a dollar store would negatively affect the surrounding community for years to come.

Currently the surrounding area is gently rolling fields and dense woods with some residential homes. There is a diversity of wildlife and plant life including butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa), an essential source of food for Monarch butterflies who feed on it during their larval stage. According to multiple studies, "urban development has been linked to many environmental problems, including air pollution, water pollution, and loss of wildlife habitat. Urban runoff often contains nutrients, sediment and toxic contaminants, and can cause not only water pollution but also large variation in stream flow and temperatures" (Czech, Krausman and Devers 2000; Soulé 1991). Near this area are numerous water sources including creeks and ponds which have the potential to be damaged by the increased traffic, runoff, and litter that would be certain to increase if the area is re-zoned. More traffic near Cedar Crest Camp would be an increased safety risk for the children who camp there during the summer.

Local businesses such as Lyles Valu Plus will also suffer if ANOTHER Dollar General were to be built here, as they can't compete with product prices. According to a 2018 research brief by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, which advocates for small businesses "The stores [Dollar Generals/Family Dollars] undercut traditional grocery stores by having few employees, often only three per store, and paying them little. While dollar stores sometimes fill a need in cash-strapped communities, growing evidence suggests these stores are not merely a byproduct of economic distress,” the brief reported. “They’re a cause of it” (MacGillis, 2020). 

I grew up riding bikes with my family down Middle Lick Creek Road. I would love for other families with children to be able to do the same in the future without worrying about their safety or the loss of wildlife diversity. 

Please sign to let our commissioners know that we do not want this re-zoning. Thank you!

Link to page to view parcel: https://hickman.capturecama.com/CAMA/CAPortal/CZ_MainPage.aspx

(Note: you must search map and parcel number- Map 040 Parcel 073)