ASHBY Committee echoes community dislike of big box stores
By Karen Mann JOURNAL CORRESPONDENT

For a second time, the thought of building big-box retail stores in town was shut down.

"We see no need in the near term, to take any efforts to embrace large-scale retail activity along the corridor," reads the report drafted by the Economic Development Study Committee.

The group of residents and town officials was formed a few months ago after an article was passed at special town meeting in January appropriating money to hire a consultant and formulate a committee to study the effects of allowing retail businesses larger than 25,000 square feet to be built in town.

At a prior town meeting in November, voters passed over an article that would have amended the zoning bylaws to permit the Zoning Board of Appeals to grant special permits for retail stores larger than 25,000 square feet in selected areas of town.

According to Town Planner Alicia Altieri, the committee did not want to allow anything around 100,000 square feet.

"The majority of the committee did not want big-box retail," said Altieri. "The two main reasons were preserving the character of the town and the impact on the local, downtown small businesses."

The main positive reason for allowing bigbox retail stores to come to town would be the tax revenue it would generate.

For committee member Donald Frigoletto this is not enough to sway his opinion.

"I don't think that tax revenue from a bigbox store is that beneficial to the town.

There are more negative effects than positive," he said.

Town officials are looking ahead though for ways to keep steady revenue streaming in when the landfill in town closes in 11 years. The town is paid by WasteManagement - the company that owns the landfill and transfer station - based on the weight of the trash brought in.

"The town leaders should be commended, they are looking forward at what to do to replace dump revenues," said Frigoletto.

He believes officials can increase revenue without compromising the character of the town, by allowing for an overlay district to be built.

In the committee's report, they recommend the idea of Planned Unit Developments, as an overlay district, be further examined.

According to Altieri, PUDs are a mixed use community combining residential, retail and office space into the master plan for development. She said this would probably call for a retail store in the 45,000-60,000 square foot range to be built, because an anchor is needed.

"The idea is to create a community where people can get a lot of services within walking distance," said Altieri.

The committee only discussed the idea and decided it was worth exploring.

"The committee never got to the point where it decided where the overlay would go," said Altieri.

She likes the idea concept because town officials would be allowed to set the criteria for how much space is reserved for each use, which allows for true master planning of the community.

"It is a win-win situation," said Frigoletto. "The developer has more opportunities, we have a chance to guide them and make more recommendations."

Both Frigoletto and Altieri did not express concern that a PUD would give a feeling of separation from the rest of the community.