Walmart Opposers Call for Hearing Postponement
 Area residents gather at St. John's Church to discuss Walmart's plans and watch a film about the retail giant's battle in Greenfield. |
NorthAdamsFirst.com submitted a letter to Planning Board Chairman Michael Leary and Mayor Richard Alcombright on Thursday calling for a review of the giant retailer's effect on the community.
"We are seeking a postponement of these agenda items until an independent expert review is done on the applicant's submitted traffic study and an independent economic impact study is completed," stated the letter, signed by 22 members of the group.
It further details studies required by the city's zoning ordinances not currently filed with the application, such as environmental impact analysis and a site plan narrative.
The proposal for a 160,000 square-foot, super version of the global discount chain on the city's southern border has spurred a grassroots effort to force further investigation into its economic, environmental and societal impact. The total project with its paved parking for 700 vehicles, will cover about 14 acres, or all of downtown North Adams from Main Street to Big Y, as illustrated by an enterprising individual using Google maps.
"We live in harmony with the Walmart that's already here," said Sandra Thomas, a North Adams resident and group member on Thursday night. "We hear 85 jobs, we hear increased tax revenue, we hear green ... but the reports that are being presented so far are from Walmart."
Thomas was speaking at one of two meetings held Thursday night to discuss the Super Center; the first was hosted by Walmart at the American Legion an hour earlier.
  Walmart supporters at the American Legion said a Super Center will benefit the city. A left, the sign by a sign-up sheet the store's entrance. |
"This will bring more business here," said Robert Pedercini. "It will bring people from all over the area here."
He likened the current situation to another some 20 years ago, when Pittsfield to rejected a mall only to see it constructed just over its border. "Lanesborough's gotten all the taxes and Pittsfield is sorry," said Pedercini.
Miriam Serrano, who started a Facebook page for Super-Center supporters, said the larger store with its grocery would bring competition to the current supermarkets and offer lower prices: "I think this is something the city needs."
"We always try to take care of our community," said James Rutherford, who became store manager about 18 months ago after working in the Pittsfield Walmart. He said the gathering was held to allow people to get their questions about the store answered.
Among the crowd were several city councilors — Marie Harpin, Alan Marden and Gailanne Cariddi — and Mayor Richard Alcombright, who attended a gathering of Walmart opponents several weeks ago. The city leaders were there mostly to listen ("I'm here to learn," said Marden) and all three councilors later crossed the street to attend the NorthAdamsFirst.com gathering.
Where Walmart's gathering focused on the good — tax base, jobs, low prices, competition — the second was concerned with the negative effects of the big-box chain — lack of competition, low-paying jobs, sprawl, and traffic.
They're hoping to convince the city and the mega-retailer to look at different options, such as reducing the size of the Super Center, expanding the current building or leaving well enough alone.
More than 40 people (including several from the first meeting) also watched the hourlong documentary "Talking to the Wall: The Story of an American Bargain," a humorous and often poignant look at the battle to keep a Walmart out of Greenfield nearly 17 years ago and its aftermath.
There's also the question of what will happen with Walmart's current 97,000 square-foot building on Curran Highway.
 Someone used a Google map of the city to show what he said would be the scale of the Super Center project. Big Y is top right, City Hall at bottom left. |
The current Walmart building also needs to be hooked into the city's sewer system. Its septic system failed last spring and the tanks are being pumped out on a regular basis. City Administrative Officer Jay Green said the Walmart's engineers have been working with the city to come up with a solution.
"The city's position has been that they have to have a hookup to the sanitary sewer system," said Green on Thursday afternoon. "The city has made that clear and both mayors have made that clear."
Residences along State Street will eventually benefit because Walmart will have invest in the sewer line whether they keep or sell the building, said Green. The line ends somewhere around Doran's Carpet Center.
The Adams Selectmen on Wednesday night approved a new sewer agreement with the city to accept waste water from the line that runs from the town to the former North Adams Plaza location. Any new development farther north would have to install a line to hook into the Adams waste system and pay appropriate fees to the town.
Both sides on the Walmart issue are garnering signatures in an effort to sway city leaders and NorthAdamsFirst members are researching various issues, including permitting and ordinances.
Walmart has $3.8 million to spend on incidentals, including, sewer, advocacy and outreach, claimed Jonathon Ray of Adams. The Blue Dot auctions owner said he was working to organize opposition along the Moveon.org model and was getting help from a lawyer with experience in municipal law, as well as funding from two major supermarket chains.
"Unfortunately, this issue is divisive but it actually could be an issue that could bring us together," said North Adams resident Anthony Israel, an organizer of the anti-Walmart, who hoped for greater citizen input in major decisions on development. "They're not trying to be good citizens if they're trying to divide the town."
The Planning Board meets Monday, Jan. 11, at 6 p.m. Five special permits relating to the Walmart project are on the agenda. Both Walmart supporters and opponents are expected to attend to express concerns.
| Read the Transcript stories here and here. |
North Adams First
PO Box 353, North Adams, MA 01247 * northadamsfirst@gmail.com
January 7, 2010
Michael Leary
Chairman, Planning Board
Office of Community Development
10 Main Street
North Adams, MA 01247
Dear Mr. Leary,
We are writing to request a postponement of the five items on the
published agenda for the Planning Board meeting on Monday, January 11,
pertaining to the issuance of Special Permits to BVS 5401 Investors,
LLC.
We are seeking a postponement of these agenda items until an
independent expert review is done on the applicant's submitted traffic
study and an independent economic impact study is completed. Both are
crucial in meeting the ‘findings’ criteria as set forth in the Zoning
Ordinance Section 16.4.2.
In addition, according to Section 15.8.1 of the Zoning Ordinance, any
application for a special permit to be allowed to conduct a use listed
below shall be required to submit, as part of the special permit
application submission, an environmental and community impact
analysis: (d) shopping centers with more than ten thousand (10,000)
square feet of gross floor area. Section 15.8.3 outlines four separate
concerns which must be addressed for each of the topics under Section
15.8.4 in order to satisfy this requirement of application for Special
Permits. We do not find any such analysis contained within the
application.
Finally, as of January 6, 2010, the special permit application on file
in the Office of Community Development does not include a narrative
for Site Plan Approval as indicated and required in number nine of the
Special Permit application. The narrative and the Section 15 items are
not on file as of this date which does not allow adequate time for
public review of the documents.
Sincerely,
Christa Abel
David Ackerson
Eric Buddington
Laura Christensen
Janet Curran
Emily DeMoor
Isabelle Holmes
Tony Israel
Brian Jewett
Leanne Jewett
Kurt Kolok
David Lachman
Jennifer Mulcahy
Tony Pisano
Jared Polen
Graziana Ramsden
Brooke Shirley
Donna Thomas
Janice Thomas
Sandra Thomas
Wilvina Tokarz
Elena Traister
cc: Mayor Dick Alcombright
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