JD’s Supermarket leaders say a possible property acquisition for Austin’s planned light rail could threaten the store’s future, even as the transit agency says its current plans do not require the grocery business to move. The market sits at Montopolis Drive and East Riverside Drive, where Austin Transit Partnership is planning a future station. The station’s exact location has not been finalized. The agency may need part of the property for a sidewalk and utility-pole changes; the area identified by the supermarket is occupied by a gas station affiliated with the store. In a letter sent to JD’s management in March, ATP said some of the property would be needed for the project and that occupants could be displaced and might qualify for relocation assistance. Vanessa Calixto, the supermarket’s risk manager, said the gas station accounts for 30% of the store’s sales. Losing that business, she said, could push the supermarket into “survival mode” and eventually force it to close. The store says a closure would put 90 local jobs at risk and reduce access to affordable groceries for low-income Montopolis families. ATP disputes that the grocery store itself is slated for displacement. A spokesperson said the design published in January does not require changes to the supermarket building. A partial right-of-way acquisition could be needed to move the sidewalk and overhead utility poles closer to the building, the spokesperson said, but it would not block access during or after construction or require the building to be acquired. The design is still being developed, and ATP says it continues to examine ways to avoid or reduce impacts to properties along the route. The supermarket’s leaders say the business generates $661,343 in tax revenue and estimate the gas station accounts for $64,600 of that amount. Those figures were provided by the business. Calixto has urged ATP to pause acquisition of the fueling area and reconsider the design, arguing a redesign could preserve the store and its jobs. JD’s, which sells Hispanic and Mediterranean groceries, is described by Montopolis residents as a nearby source of affordable food and a gathering place. The name stands for “just discounts.” Calixto said customers come to shop, eat and spend time with neighbors, and that the store is an important place for the Hispanic community. At a Friday gathering organized by the supermarket, community members and leaders objected to the potential project impacts. Susana Almanza, president of the Montopolis Neighborhood Association, criticized the transit partnership and City Council for allowing what she said could negatively affect the store. State Rep. Lulu Flores, whose 51st District includes the area, said she supports light rail but argued that transportation improvements should not come at the cost of community displacement. She said her office would remain engaged with residents. The dispute highlights a challenge for major transit projects: building lower-emission transportation while ensuring the benefits do not come at the expense of established businesses and residents. For now, the station design and the extent of any property acquisition remain unsettled.