Local

Oviedo residents outraged over plans for Dollar General store

OVIEDO, Fla. — Homeowners in Oviedo are outraged over the plans to build a Dollar General store at the entrance of their community.

The Biltmore gated community is across the street from Oviedo High School on State Road 426.

The city's mayor told WFTV if the store is approved it will not look like any other Dollar General, but that is still not winning over the people who live next door.

Ashley Birchell bought her Oviedo town home because it looks over some trees.

But if a developer gets his way her new view will be the back of a Dollar General store.

Residents are so furious, they are making signs to warn city officials not to approve the store's plans.

Birchell is worried about construction, traffic and crime.

"Anything could happen. It's just not a good place to put it," said Birchell.

Some residents say Oviedo is lowering its standards. Not too long ago city leaders approved a Goodwill store along 434 and two gas stations nearby.

"Well, I wouldn't say we are lowering our standards. We cannot control the market on what wants to come in," said Oviedo Mayor Dominic Persampiere.

Persampiere said if anything, the city is increasing its standards -- strict new building codes ensure that whatever moves into town looks attractive from the design to the materials.

"It used to be that you could build flat square rectangles and that really is just not allowed anymore," said Persampiere.

If the plans are approved, the developer said it will not look like any other Dollar General. The store will have a brick base, pitched roof, and even dormer windows, so it will blend in with the houses nearby.

Birchell said the issue is not how the store looks, but how close it is to her and her 60 neighbors.

"How do you make any business look nice when it is right next to a residential community? There is just no way of doing it," she said.

The plans for the Dollar General will go in front of the city council next month.