Waterford developer Bert Exum assured residential owners that the commercial parcel in question would be used for stores and other businesses. He gave the same assurances to the Town Council several years ago when it approved his request to rezone this parcel from residential to commercial. Many area natives live in Waterford, including the former mayor of Belville and a former Town Council member. Both opposed Exum's amendment to rezone commercial property around Waterford to allow for multi-family building. There is plenty of available land in this area where the apartment complex can be built without opposition. Exum announced several months ago he had sold his remaining residential properties at Waterford. If he no longer wishes to develop the commercial parcel, he can and should sell it to another commercial developer. All of Leland will benefit from having this parcel developed commercially. Additional stores and businesses will create new employment opportunities, enable residents to shop more locally, and result additional property tax and sales tax revenue for our town. This is not about snobbery. It's about keeping promises and doing what's best for both Waterford and Leland.