Neighbors worried about plan to bring business to their backyards

For James Lucas, it brings feelings of one thing - home.

“It’s quiet and peaceful, and it’s real nice,” he said. “It’s a real nice neighborhood.”

Lucas has lived in the community, near New Hope and Buffaloe roads, for 18 years. Neighbor Dan Giddens has him beat by two.

“If you asked me today, I’d say keep it like it is,” he said. “Develop residential.”

Both men join many of their neighbors who are concerned about a proposal that could put a Sheetz convenience store right on the corner, outside the neighborhood.

“Just from the increase in traffic, the potential for vagrancy – just the 24/7 in your backyard is not what you want,” Giddens said. “And the privacy concerns as well.”

Right now, the land is vacant. But Fannie B. Buffaloe Trust has filed a request with the City of Raleigh to rezone the parcel from residential to neighborhood business.

“If the issue was traffic, the applicant has to put forward a mitigation plan to mitigate the traffic,” city Planning Director Mitchell Silver said.

The homeowners think putting a convenience store there would be a mistake.

“Not in my backyard,” Giddens said.