Outlet eyed near Civil War battlefield

Now THATs EXACTLY what Northern Virginia needs, another shopping center! How much is enough? Plowing under a historic battlefield, adding to the traffic congestion, noise, light pollution, etc. Do all these shopping centers really add to the quality of life in Orange County? Bow about in Virginia? When does it end?

I love Walmart but this area around Route 3 is congested enough and they don't really need a Walmart here. Please look elsewhere as Civil War areas are big tourist industries for Virginia bringing in revenue that Virginia needs. Civil War sites need to be left as they are. If people decide to live near Civil War sites they should not expect shopping centers right next to the sites but should expect to drive a few extra miles to shop. People near the Wilderness certainly don't have to drive that far to get to Fredericksburg to shop as it is now.

"... not shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation". This odd little phrase is from the Bill of Rights for those who don't recognize it. It means that when the government does something that affects a private property owner's land, he must be compensated in value of the affect. Please note, it does not say "for public ownership" it says "use". Declaring someone's property as a buffer area for a near by public use/owned property is a "use" taken by the government and Constitutionally deserving of compensation. Likewise, stopping or limiting a landowner from his use due to wetlands, species habitat, historic designation or any other public interest is a "takings" and should be compensated. I have debated this with those who say we can not do this (follow the US Constitution for takings) since it would cost so much. My reply has been 1)the Constitution does not exempt the compensation if it costs too much, and 2) The cost is a self regulating tool as we would only "take and compensate" private property for public use that is really necessary and needed.

Re-fight the war over it. Let the winner do what they wish with the land.

The preservation crowd doesn’t mention the development that is already at this location. A McDonalds, a huge Sheetz gas station, strip mall and used car lot have already been built on the Federal lines. Across Route 3 (where Wal-Mart proposes to build) and further away from the battlefield are a 7/11, a bank and another strip mall. This land is not pristine battlefield that your photo depicts and is already developed. This has more to do with Wal-Mart than with development. Nothing was said about the previous development and I doubt this crowd would be complaining about a big box Ikea.

Great. Another generic, no-character and no morals supercenter. Poverty-level wages, employee abuse, small businesses destruction and tourism revenue depletion. That's Walmart -- "Always". The prices at Walmart seem cheap ... but in reality they're way more expensive than Americans can afford. The same people who are annoyed by "preservationists and environmentalists" also want to keep jobs in America, right? And they want America to keep its national character, right? Say NO to ANOTHER Walmart ... they strangle the life out of their host communities and The Wilderness historic area will be no exception. The area is rapidly growing ... but if you allow a Supercenter Any Remaining National Historical and Cultural Character will be DESTROYED.

Wal mart is a store. I don't expect it to have morals or character. That is what people have, like the ones who work there and shop there. I don't see anything about destroying the historic site. It is to remain. As for the area outside it, that is not public property, it is private. You can buy some and just grow weeds if you want, until the local zoning board tells you to mow it.