In the Town of Mineral, a controversial debate has been brewing over a local convenience store’s proposal to install gas pumps on its premises. The store, known as “Miller’s Market,” has been eagerly pushing for this expansion, touting it as a convenient addition to the community. However, the town council’s repeated delays in making a decision leave residents and store owners frustrated and divided.

The issue surfaced over a year ago when Miller’s Market submitted plans to incorporate gas pumps alongside its existing grocery and convenience offerings. The store’s owner, AJ Singh, argues that adding fuel services would benefit customers and strengthen the local economy by keeping business within the town.

“We see this as a natural extension of our services,” stated Singh in an earlier town hall meeting. “Many of our loyal customers have expressed a desire for gas pumps here.” The town, which once had 5 gas stations, would benefit from the tax revenue and station design would allow customers with boat trailers to utilize the pumps without blocking the streets and intersections like other service stations do.

Despite collecting over 500 signatures on a petition presented to the Town Council in February which showed a considerable amount of local support, the town council has continuously come up with reasons not to make a final decision. 

The controversy began in September 2022 when town residents Ron Chapman and Olivia McCarthy spoke against the addition of gas pumps during public comment at a Town Council meeting. Chapman lives across the street from Miller’s Market having purchased the residence in 2020. Two months later and being on the ballot, both Chapman and McCarthy won seats on the town council in the election. Now as a Town Council member and newly designated Vice-Mayor, Chapman has brought up “dark sky lighting” (the Family Dollar which is located beside him turns off their parking lot lights after they close each night), environmental studies, water studies, and insists in reviewing results before building. 

To further add to the debate, the Planning Committee which makes recommendations to the town council, 2 of the 5 seats appointed by the town council, are held by Ed Kube (Chair) whose wife sits on the town council, and Nicole Washington (vice-chair) who owns a home across the street from Miller’s Market and beside Chapman. To complicate the issue further, Washington is not a resident of the town yets sits on the planning committee. Washington, herself, stated in the September 20, 2023 meeting that “she was currently renovating a house in town that they are moving to.” Mayor Jarvis added, “that legally the reason Commissioner Washington was not voting was that she was not a resident of the Town yet.” 

The process has been a long and difficult one for Singh. It has also cost him money due to the rising costs during the approval delay of adding the gas pumps. In November after the Mayor presented the CUP requirements to the planning commission, the vote was a close 3-2 to approve sending the application to the town council with both Kube and Washington voting no. Kube was warned previously by Washington in the October 2023 planning committee meeting “not to make this personal.” While Washington did vote, as of this writing, Washington is still not a resident of the Town. Requests for clarification to the Mayor have been unanswered.

After 18 months after applying, a motion “to approve Millers Market Conditional Use Permit to install gas pumps and that they abide by all regulations set forth by the Town of Mineral, County of Louisa, and State of Virginia” was made by McGehee and seconded by McCarthy. The CUP approval passed 5-1 with the lone nay vote coming from Kube.

While the Mayor may have congratulated Singh after the vote and told him to pick up his letter in the morning, the Mineral Zoning Administrator still needs to sign the letter that states that the Town of Mineral has reviewed the application and all of the Town’s zoning requirements have been met. 

In a request for a copy of the Letter of approval and date sent to Singh, Miller’s Market, Washington, now the Town Manager (April 9 town council meeting announcement), responded via email, “There is no letter. A letter will be drafted when the zoning permit for the building has met all standards by the outside agencies (VDOT in this case). The CUP is a conditional use permit allowing the use of gas pumps within the light commercial district, it is not the zoning permit that allows the construction to start.”

Debbie Moon

Debbie Moon loves to help! A prominent magnet on her refrigerator reads, “Stop me before I volunteer again!” Regardless of the warning, Debbie has joined the Breeze as the Town of Mineral reporter. As a Seniors Real Estate Specialist® at Lake Anna, she helps families and their aging parents sell their home and the items they no longer need. She recently purchased a building in the Mineral Commercial District, to be the future home of her consignment store called “Full Moon Trading Company” to sell the items families and their aging parents no longer need. Debbie can be reached at 301-906-7770 or [email protected].