Residents opposed to a proposed Dollar General Market in Cascade are urging Washington County officials to advance a zoning amendment they say is needed to protect historic Fort Ritchie and clarify what types of retail can be built in the county’s rural villages.
The Committee to Protect Our Mountain — a grassroots group fighting the project — has raised about $18,000 in donations to cover legal costs, said spokesperson and Cascade resident Tory Fitzgerald.
“It is likely we will need to hold another fundraiser in late winter/early spring to continue to fund our legal fees,” she said.
The store is proposed for a site across from Fort Ritchie, the former Army base now undergoing redevelopment and viewed as a significant cultural and historical asset. Opponents argue the store’s “cookie-cutter” design is out of step with the area and violates Rural Village zoning standards.
The zoning text amendment under consideration would bar small-box retail stores within 1,000 feet of historic sites in Rural Village zones. Supporters say the change would better protect Fort Ritchie and similar areas countywide, and offer clearer guidance for a zoning category intended to preserve rural character.
If enacted, the amendment could also influence a pending case before the Maryland Court of Appeals involving both the project applicant and the community group.
The proposal was submitted by neighboring property owner Danielle Durning, who said she first sent a broader version to the county administrator in July and was told the next day it would not be considered. She said she later submitted a narrower version directly to the Board of County Commissioners in early October, but believes it was dismissed after legal advice from County Attorney Zachary Kieffer.
Durning said she recognized Kieffer from earlier proceedings, noting that he represented Outdoor Contractors — the builder seeking approval for the Dollar General — at a 2022 Board of Zoning Appeals hearing, before he was appointed county attorney.
“This has been extremely frustrating as I have not received any positive response,” Durning said. “The commissioners appear unwilling to help our community despite the overwhelming and ongoing opposition of the community.”
Neither Commissioner Derek Cline nor Kieffer could be reached for comment. Dollar General officials also were unavailable Thursday.
At a community meeting Sunday at Top Secret Taproom in Fort Ritchie, several residents voiced support for the amendment, saying the project threatens Cascade’s historic landscape and could undermine recently opened businesses at Fort Ritchie. They also cited earlier findings from the Board of Zoning Appeals that homes closest to the proposed store, including Durning’s, could lose at least $30,000 in value if the project moves forward.
“There is definitely community momentum,” Fitzgerald said about local support. “The commissioners have put up a wall and are not responding to the zoning text amendment.”
DG Market stores differ from standard Dollar Generals, offering a larger selection of fresh produce, meat and dairy.
Durning said she emailed all commissioners on Oct. 21 outlining her concerns about a potential conflict of interest involving Kieffer, but received no response beyond an automatic out-of-office reply.
Meanwhile, the dispute is headed back to court. Appeals filed by Outdoor Contractors and by Durning and other residents remain pending before the Maryland Court of Appeals. Oral arguments are expected in early February, with a final hearing anticipated in early 2026.
A similar Dollar General store operates less than two miles away in Blue Ridge Summit. Cascade also has two locally owned grocers — Sanders Market and Ritchie Rations — and a Walmart about 15 minutes away. The owners of Sanders Market and Ritchie Rations could not be reached for comment.
Members of Protect Our Mountain have challenged the project since 2022, arguing it conflicts with Washington County’s Rural Village zoning rules.
In May 2023, a Circuit Court judge sided with the community group, finding the Board of Zoning Appeals and Outdoor Contractors failed to provide sufficient justification for granting a special exception. The judge ruled the proposed store did not fit within any permitted use in the Rural Village zone, according to a statement from the group’s zoning attorney, Michele Rosenfeld.
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