The Residents Versus The Auto Shop
The following stories were posted on this website beginning in May of 2018. They cover the efforts by the Rappaport Property Company and the Meineke Auto Repair Company to convert a vacant store in the Wellington Station Shopping Center into a six bay auto repair shop whose activities and noise would have been a short distance from the residents in Building 1 and our neighbors in the adjoining town houses. These stories relate how many of the residents of The Gatherings united to fight the proposal that they felt would destroy the quiet character of their community. It all began at a regular Board of Directors meeting....
Notes From The Board of Directors Meeting of May 9, 2018
There were two major issues discussed in this session. The first part of the meeting was given over to an informational presentation by Ms Jonelle Cameron, an attorney representing the Rappaport Property Company. This is the company that owns and manages the buildings and property on which the Giant supermarket and other businesses in our neighborhood reside. Ever since this shopping center opened there has remained a vacancy in the corner store south of Giant. In a slide presentation Ms Cameron showed the audience how a potential new Rappaport client would use the space if they are permitted to lease it. The new tenant would be the Meineke Car Care Center which specializes in oil change, exhaust, tires and brakes. Meineke would have to completely alter the characteristics of the property from a usual retail store to a six bay garage with a show- room/office. The bays would be installed on the south side of the building and would face not only the rear of Building 1 of The Gatherings but also the rear areas of a number of town houses that front on Fountain Circle. Ms. Cameron showed an architect's rendition of the changes that would be made to the supermarket building and stressed that a series of trees would be planted to hide the activities in the auto center from Building 1. These planting would be maintained by the Rappaport Company. However, the trees would not be tall enough to shield residents on the upper floors from the view, sounds and smells of the six service bays.
There were a number of comments offered by the unit owners who saw the presentation. They were concerned about any emissions that might emanate from the business since their mechanics will be draining oil and servicing faulty mufflers. There was also concern about the noise that will come from the site since powerful pneumatic tools are used to remove and install tires and perform other garage chores. The Rappaport representative was reminded that The Gatherings is an "over 55" community and that Meineke's opening time of 7:30 AM would find many residents still asleep. There was also concern that the walkway that crosses the relatively inactive delivery road that provides access to the Meineke garages will now be quite active with cars coming and going. It was suggested that a proper cross-walk with a stop sign be installed if the project goes ahead.
As the presentation ended it was revealed that the project is not a certainty. It has to be approved by the Manassas City Council and also by he Manassas Planning Commission. Those approvals are not a yet forthcoming. Also, if enough residents of The Gatherings object they can attend the City's meetings and formerly state the reasons why they think Meineke should choose another location. There will be much more to find out as time goes by.
There were a number of comments offered by the unit owners who saw the presentation. They were concerned about any emissions that might emanate from the business since their mechanics will be draining oil and servicing faulty mufflers. There was also concern about the noise that will come from the site since powerful pneumatic tools are used to remove and install tires and perform other garage chores. The Rappaport representative was reminded that The Gatherings is an "over 55" community and that Meineke's opening time of 7:30 AM would find many residents still asleep. There was also concern that the walkway that crosses the relatively inactive delivery road that provides access to the Meineke garages will now be quite active with cars coming and going. It was suggested that a proper cross-walk with a stop sign be installed if the project goes ahead.
As the presentation ended it was revealed that the project is not a certainty. It has to be approved by the Manassas City Council and also by he Manassas Planning Commission. Those approvals are not a yet forthcoming. Also, if enough residents of The Gatherings object they can attend the City's meetings and formerly state the reasons why they think Meineke should choose another location. There will be much more to find out as time goes by.
Public Hearing Of Interest To Unit Owners
The Planning Board of the City of Manassas held a public hearing on Wednesday November 7, 2018 regarding allowing Meineke Auto Repair to install a franchised shop in the Giant Shopping Center directly across from GAW Building 1 and the town houses on Fountain Circle.
There was a large turnout from the Gatherings (mainly from Building 1). Photos of some of the unit owners speaking to the Planning Board are below.
There was a large turnout from the Gatherings (mainly from Building 1). Photos of some of the unit owners speaking to the Planning Board are below.
It should be noted that in its consideration the Planning Board was not presented with information regarding the recent installation of a major Columbia Gas main along the service road that fronts the proposed Meineke repair shop. This installation is important since the Board was under the impression that Meineke's promise to install tall trees in front of the shop would allay some of the major concerns of the town house and condo's residents by providing a tall, natural fence in front of the proposed auto shop. A map prepared for Meineke by the Bohler Engineering firm shows the location of tall trees that are to be placed along the property line that divides the Meineke property from the property which is owned by the town houses and the Gathering.
After hearing presentations from both the Meineke lawyers and our unit owners the Planning Board voted 4 to 2 in favor of passing the Meineke request for a zoning change and a permit to begin construction of the repair facility to the Manassas City Council. The Manassas City Council has the final say and will consider this request on December 10th.
The Gatherings Delegation Confers With
Manassas Mayor Hal Parrish
Regarding The Auto Shop Designated For Wellington Station
The upper left photo was taken by Mayor Parrish himself who insisted his guests pose in the City Council chamber in the same seats the Council members use. Left to right in front row: Kay Witt, Claudette Sylvester and Mary Keen. Left to right in back row: Gerry Moore, Chuck Keen, Val Kehl, Joel Heller and Joe Phoenix. Mayor Parrish is in the white shirt in two of the photos examining the Meineke master map.
Last November the Manassas City Planning Board, much to the chagrin of many of our unit owners, granted, by a vote of 4-2, a special use permit to the Meineke Auto Repair Company so that they could install a six bay repair shop in the south wall of the building which houses the Giant supermarket. However, this was not the final approval needed before construction can begin. The project still needs the approval of the Manassas City Council. The Council will consider the details of the Meineke application at 5:30 PM December 10th in their public meeting room at the Manassas City Hall. Before reaching a decision they will give both Meineke and our owners a chance to address the Council and state their pro and con positions. Prior to this vital meeting, on Monday, November 26th a group of eight residents from The Gatherings met for two hours in the Council's conference with Mayor Hal Parrish. The goal was to get his advice on how best to present our case against this project at the December meeting. Mayor Parrish laid out how the approval process works and restated the history of this project. He suggested that, in advance of the meeting, we provide both the present members of the Council and its newly elected members the same presentation that was shown to him at this November 26th meeting. Although he had no idea on how the final vote would turn out he did indicate that, so far, Meineke and the City have followed all the rules regarding project approval. He suggested to us that we consider preparing a list of demands for how the Meineke shop will conduct its business if its application gets final approval. For example, he said if noise violations occur because of work being done with a bay door open, we call the police who can then issue a citation against the company. He said too many citations would result in a closure of the business. We thank Mayor Parrish for the time he spent with us and for the knowledge he passed on to us. Now, it is up to us.
Residents of Gatherings at Wellington:
Please consider attending the next public hearing at Manassas City Hall to show your support for those residents who are speaking to Manassas City Council members to voice opposition on the building of a Meineke Auto Center which will be a detriment to our community.
Buildings 1, 2, and 3 will be impacted the most as they will be able to see and hear the Meineke Auto Shop for 6 days a week from 700 a.m. to 7:00 pm. Those residents will hear and see trucks and automobiles everyday; there will be noise and activity during those 12 hours along with garbage pickup (at any time).
The meeting will start at 5:30 pm and we hope to have a large showing of concerned residents when we ask the question, "Who Supports the Opposition to Meineke Auto Center". You do not have to make a speech: Just showing up will be enough. We would like as many people as possible to come to this meeting. It will show we are serious about our problem.
Residents of Gatherings at Wellington:
Please consider attending the next public hearing at Manassas City Hall to show your support for those residents who are speaking to Manassas City Council members to voice opposition on the building of a Meineke Auto Center which will be a detriment to our community.
Buildings 1, 2, and 3 will be impacted the most as they will be able to see and hear the Meineke Auto Shop for 6 days a week from 700 a.m. to 7:00 pm. Those residents will hear and see trucks and automobiles everyday; there will be noise and activity during those 12 hours along with garbage pickup (at any time).
The meeting will start at 5:30 pm and we hope to have a large showing of concerned residents when we ask the question, "Who Supports the Opposition to Meineke Auto Center". You do not have to make a speech: Just showing up will be enough. We would like as many people as possible to come to this meeting. It will show we are serious about our problem.
Manassas City Council Meeting December 10, 2018
Finally, At 5:30 PM on December 10, 2018 more than 40 residents of The Gatherings attended a City Council meeting at which the Meineke proposal pro and con was discussed. Many of the residents rose to address the Council about their objections to the project. The attendees waited almost 3 hours to learn that no vote was to be taken at this meeting since there would be two new members joining the Council after the first of the year and the Council wanted to wait for their official input. The next meeting and a vote was scheduled for February 11th. The suspense continued.
Was This An Omen In The Gloamin?
On Friday, December 21, 2018 at approximately 4:30 PM, after a brief but heavy downpour, a magnificent rainbow appeared in the sky over The Gatherings. It was a perfect semi-circle and seemed to terminate on the roof of where the proposed Meineke Auto Shop is seeking permission to build. Is the rainbow an omen for them or for us? Stay tuned. PS By the time we got there the pot of gold was gone!
Gatherings Residents Express Their Strong Feelings To The Two Companies Seeking To Open A Six-Bay Auto Shop In Wellington Station Shopping Mall
On Thursday, January 24, 2019 a large group of residents from the Gatherings assembled, at the invitation of the Rappaport Realty Company, in a green walled store a few doors north of the Giant market at the nearby Welling Station Shopping Mall. They were there to participate in a question and answer session regarding the installation of a Meineke auto repair facility in a vacant store wall that faces the Gatherings buildings and the community's adjoining town houses.
The Unit Owners were addressed by Rappaport President Henry Fonvielle as well as by Jonelle Cameron an attorney representing Rappaport and by a representative of the Meineke Auto Repair Company which seeks to operate this franchise on the Rappaport property. The Manassas City Council is currently in the process of holding public hearing as they are the ones who will make the final decision as to whether or not an SUP, short for Special Use Permit, will be granted. This store front meeting was an effort by Rappaport and Meineke to see if they could calm down our Unit Owners and address their fears prior to the fast approaching vote by the city council.
The speakers talked about everything from the trees they said would protect the Gathering's owners from seeing the proposed Meineke installation to the sound measurements they would take to make sure excessive noise did not travel south over their property line. They promised closed bay doors while cars were being repaired, stop signs to protect the pedestrian crossing into the shopping center and said they would carefully monitor any odors or toxic waste that could cause distress. They also talked about modern auto repair that uses computer diagnosis of automotive problems without having to race a car's engine.
However, no matter what they explained, the residents remained adamant that when all was said and done the resulting auto repair shop would destroy the quiet residential atmosphere of the community and would, in many cases, not only lower its property values but would also deprive them of the enjoyment of their outdoor spaces - particularly their balconies. Resident after resident said that although they had no animosity either to Rappaport or Meineke placing their franchise in this particular location was causing them aggravation as they envision this unwanted change in their quiet community. A resident from the town house community also rose and complained about the proposal which would literally place the repair shop in her backyard. She eloquently explained the fears she had for her children who would encounter the increased auto traffic behind her home. The Gatherings' residents stressed that no matter what was done to the proposed installation that it would remain an unwanted intrusion into a serene and peaceful way of life that had been established by The Gatherings Community.
There were indications that a February meeting by the City Council would produce a vote on the Rappaport/Meineke proposal. It is important that as many Gatherings' residents as possible plan to attend this session to show a unified front against this project which so many residents insist is simply in the wrong place. The date and time of the Council meeting will be posted when available.
The speakers talked about everything from the trees they said would protect the Gathering's owners from seeing the proposed Meineke installation to the sound measurements they would take to make sure excessive noise did not travel south over their property line. They promised closed bay doors while cars were being repaired, stop signs to protect the pedestrian crossing into the shopping center and said they would carefully monitor any odors or toxic waste that could cause distress. They also talked about modern auto repair that uses computer diagnosis of automotive problems without having to race a car's engine.
However, no matter what they explained, the residents remained adamant that when all was said and done the resulting auto repair shop would destroy the quiet residential atmosphere of the community and would, in many cases, not only lower its property values but would also deprive them of the enjoyment of their outdoor spaces - particularly their balconies. Resident after resident said that although they had no animosity either to Rappaport or Meineke placing their franchise in this particular location was causing them aggravation as they envision this unwanted change in their quiet community. A resident from the town house community also rose and complained about the proposal which would literally place the repair shop in her backyard. She eloquently explained the fears she had for her children who would encounter the increased auto traffic behind her home. The Gatherings' residents stressed that no matter what was done to the proposed installation that it would remain an unwanted intrusion into a serene and peaceful way of life that had been established by The Gatherings Community.
There were indications that a February meeting by the City Council would produce a vote on the Rappaport/Meineke proposal. It is important that as many Gatherings' residents as possible plan to attend this session to show a unified front against this project which so many residents insist is simply in the wrong place. The date and time of the Council meeting will be posted when available.
Two Weeks After The Above Meeting This Letter Arrived
Finally, in the second week of March, 2019, these two letters were received in The Gatherings. When they were announced at the March Board of Directors meeting there was a brief burst of applause and then life went on. There were other things to consider that evening and other problems to solve.
With These Two Brief Letters The Fight Was Over
From: Matthew Arcieri [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2019 11:32 AM
To: The Residents of The Gatherings at Wellington
Subject: SUP #2019-03, Wellington Station Meineke
Good morning and I hope this email finds you well. I would like to inform you that the Special Use Permit (SUP)for Meineke at the shopping center has been formally withdrawn. Please share this with your neighbors and other members of the community who took time to participate in the public hearing process and provide feedback on this proposal to the Planning Commission and City Council.
Please contact me with any questions.
-Matt
Matthew Arcieri, AICP
Planning & Zoning Manager
Zoning Administrator
703-257-8232
[email protected]
www.manassascity.org/zoning
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2019 11:32 AM
To: The Residents of The Gatherings at Wellington
Subject: SUP #2019-03, Wellington Station Meineke
Good morning and I hope this email finds you well. I would like to inform you that the Special Use Permit (SUP)for Meineke at the shopping center has been formally withdrawn. Please share this with your neighbors and other members of the community who took time to participate in the public hearing process and provide feedback on this proposal to the Planning Commission and City Council.
Please contact me with any questions.
-Matt
Matthew Arcieri, AICP
Planning & Zoning Manager
Zoning Administrator
703-257-8232
[email protected]
www.manassascity.org/zoning
