Marlborough, NH Takes a Stand Against Lower Prices

[WhatsInaName]

Marlborough, NH Takes a Stand Against Lower Prices
http://www.freestateblogs.net/node/13013

In Marlborough, any property (no, not building but property) of over 10,000 square feet needs a waiver from the zoning board.  That doesn't sound like a big deal.  Dollar General is one of the fastest expanding stores in the US.  It decided that the Keene area would be a great place to build a store.  There are currently only two dollar stores in the area.  There is a Wal-Mart dollar store in Hinsdale and a Dollar Tree in Keene.

Dollar General applied for a zoning waiver to build a store on Route 101 in Marlborough.  Did the zoning board say yes to the construction jobs?  Did the zoning board say yes to the retail jobs?  Did the zoning board say yes to the lower prices for people throughout the Keene area?  Did the zoning board say yes to more lower property taxes for residents?  Of course not.  The zoning board decided to take a unanimous stand against lower prices.

Why such hostility to helping the community?  The Keene Sentinel has an idea.  "Little said the store would generate 160 trips per day from customers, which, compared to current traffic, is insignificant. He read from a transportation department survey from 2009 that said Route 101 in that area sees 12,000 vehicles per day."

As someone that drives on Route 101 from time to time, I would like to thank the government of Marlborough for this wonderful decision.  God bless Marlborough and the wonderful saints that run the zoning board.

I would also like to give a special shout out to the Winchester Historic Commission for blocking another Dollar General from entering the Keene area earlier in the year.

[antijingoist]

oh goodness. Freaking control freaks.

[Praetgeist!]

how many different people, families, corporations own all the different dollar generals/dollar stores in Southern New Hampshire?  This has been covered in the Sentinel throughout this year both in articles and in letters to the editor--certainly Winchester if not also Marl.  It sounds like a racket I'd rather not smother in Austrian-babble.

[WhatsInaName]

Group sues to block Winchester dollar store
By MEGHAN PIERCE
Union Leader Correspondent
Published Dec 26, 2011 at 3:00 am (Updated Dec 25, 2011)
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20111226/NEWS02/712269975

A group is suing because the zoning board approved the project after the historic society rejected it.

This group doesn't care that "rehabilitation of the old home was cost-prohibitive."  The proposed site of the Dollar Store is in the (struggling) commercial district of town right next to the grocery store.  Guess what?  The group suing is "four residents and Kulick’s Inc," the grocery store located right next to the proposed site.  So the grocery store would rather see the commercial section of Winchester further fall apart than face competition.  At least now we know that the owners of the grocery store want the residents of Winchester to pay higher prices and have a limited sections of goods to choose from.  Hopefully, Dollar General opens so I can shop there when I'm in Winchester and never shop at Kulick's ever again.

There is some good news in the article.  "And Zaremba recently made preliminary inquiries about building a Dollar General in Swanzey, said Sara Carbonneau, Swanzey town planner."

[GaryM]

There's a convenience store on Route 111 in Nashua that sells gas. One time I stopped there to fill up and saw a sign boasting that they had helped to block permissions for a 7-11 to open somewhere in the area. I drove away without getting any gas and haven't been back since.

[WhatsInaName]

Good news, despite southwestern NH town governments acting crazy to stop a Dollar General from coming to town, Dollar General Still hopes to build stores in NH soon.

The company has nearly 10,000 U.S. stores and plans to open another 625 this year, the same amount it opened in 2011. About 80 of the new stores are set to open in new markets for Dollar General such as California, Nevada, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/22/us-dollargeneral-idUSBRE82L0JP20120322

[WhatsInaName]

Dollar General seeks to expand in region
Posted: Monday, April 16, 2012 12:15 pm | Updated: 1:40 pm, Mon Apr 16, 2012.
By Christina Braccio Sentinel Staff
http://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/dollar-general-seeks-to-expand-in-region/article_abf3a87c-fa91-5d8b-9643-693f57530168.html

Dollar General is leading a charge into the Granite State, approaching many towns in hopes of building stores across the Monadnock Region.

The sudden onslaught of Dollar General proposals in the region has caused a controversy in some towns. Many proposals were met with resistance from residents.

Maybe even Christina is against Dollar General opening up store, offering less expensive products and employing people?  Some people in New Ipswich and Bennington are against those things.

Similar concerns were brought up in New Ipswich, where Dollar General developers proposed razing the former Central Elementary School building and replacing it with a 9,000-square-foot store.

Residents voiced concerns about the store creating more traffic, negatively affecting local businesses, and ruining the atmosphere of a small New Hampshire town. The zoning board will continue the public hearing on May 3.

Bennington was also approached by the retailer, which wants to purchase an old home in the town’s village district and build a new store on the lot.

The company faces several challenges in Bennington because the location is over an aquifer and the plans do not meet the specified zoning laws meant to protect the water. Board members and residents raised concerns about traffic and property values in town decreasing, as well as Bennington’s general stores having a loss of business. The board also continued its public hearing.

There is a great graphic for this store.
http://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/dollar-general/pdf_219ca78a-87eb-11e1-9340-001a4bcf887a.html

[WhatsInaName]

Group sues to block Winchester dollar store
By MEGHAN PIERCE
Union Leader Correspondent
Published Dec 26, 2011 at 3:00 am (Updated Dec 25, 2011)
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20111226/NEWS02/712269975

A group is suing because the zoning board approved the project after the historic society rejected it.

This group doesn't care that "rehabilitation of the old home was cost-prohibitive."  The proposed site of the Dollar Store is in the (struggling) commercial district of town right next to the grocery store.  Guess what?  The group suing is "four residents and Kulick’s Inc," the grocery store located right next to the proposed site.  So the grocery store would rather see the commercial section of Winchester further fall apart than face competition.  At least now we know that the owners of the grocery store want the residents of Winchester to pay higher prices and have a limited sections of goods to choose from.  Hopefully, Dollar General opens so I can shop there when I'm in Winchester and never shop at Kulick's ever again.

A company is trying to build a Dunkin' Donuts/gas station/convenience store in Winchester.  Guess which company is again trying to use the government to prevent competition?  It appears as though the owner of Kulick's may hate competition. 

The plan faced opposition from Kelly E. Dowd, an attorney representing local grocery store Kulick’s Inc., during the hearing.

Kulick’s is located on Route 78, less than half a mile from the proposed site. It also operates the gas pumps in the plaza where the grocery store is located.

Kulick’s owner Stanley S. Plifka Jr. said he welcomes the addition of Dunkin’ Donuts. However, he said he is worried about the resulting traffic from the new location and the addition of what he said is an unnecessary convenience store and gas station.

“You’re going to have three gas stations you could physically throw a baseball to, and that makes no sense to me,” Plifka said this morning.

[Myrkul999]

“You’re going to have three gas stations you could physically throw a baseball to, and that makes no sense to me,” Plifka said this morning.

Makes perfect sense to me, from a consumer standpoint. You don't want to drive all around town to see which gas station has the lower price. Having them all in one place makes it quite convenient.

[WhatsInaName]

It looks like Swanzey may be doing what Marlborough and Winchester did.  Down the Dollar General!  I wonder what it is about some people in Cheshire County and their hate of lower prices...

Many speaking out against plan for Dollar General store
Posted: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 12:15 pm | Updated: 11:43 am, Tue Jul 10, 2012.
By Garrett Brnger Sentinel Staff
http://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/many-speaking-out-against-plan-for-dollar-general-store/article_55cf474c-33e2-5d1b-818b-c150bac8a196.html

SWANZEY — A proposal for a Dollar General store has residents worrying about their safety.

The planning board is in the midst of a public hearing on the proposed store, during which residents have raised concerns about the safety of the planned location on Route 10. Most of the debate has been about traffic and pedestrian safety, but issues with fire protection and storm drainage have also been raised.

At the first meeting, the public works director, police chief and fire chief all voiced concerns about the effect of the proposed store on traffic, as did several residents.

The only exit from the parking lot would be onto Route 10, about 195 feet south of the Cobble Hill Road intersection, which many town residents consider dangerous.

Theresa M. DiLuzio, who has lived on Cobble Hill Road for almost 40 years, said in an interview that nearby housing developments create plenty of foot traffic and she worries about the effect of the store traffic on pedestrians.

“They walk to the store. They walk to get ice cream. They walk to the library. They walk to school,” DiLuzio said of the housing development residents.

Like others at the meetings, DiLuzio said she wants developers to consider pedestrians in their plans.

DiLuzio said she is “not trying to run them (Dollar General) out of town, just trying to get them to be a little more responsible.”

Fire Chief Norman Skantze also voiced concerns at the June 14 meeting about providing enough water to the site for fire protection. The West Swanzey Water Company, which had agreed to provide water to the site, could not support the water requirements for fighting fires, he said.

Merritt said at the June 28 meeting that the building would be fitted with sprinklers.

Others were concerned about the sole entrance being used by both delivery trucks and cars.

[WhatsInaName]

A company is trying to build a Dunkin' Donuts/gas station/convenience store in Winchester.  Guess which company is again trying to use the government to prevent competition?  It appears as though the owner of Kulick's may hate competition. 

Get this, the "Planning board Chairman Dean Beaman said the project met all of the board’s requirements," but "after almost 40 minutes of discussion, Beaman’s motion to approve the application failed 4-3."  Thank goodness, the last thing people need in Cheshire County is more choices when it comes to buy gas, coffee, donuts or convenience store items!  We must prevent additional jobs at all costs!

In Winchester, a Dunkin’ Donuts plan is rejected
Posted: Tuesday, July 17, 2012 12:15 pm | Updated: 11:32 am, Tue Jul 17, 2012.
By Garrett Brnger Sentinel Staff

WINCHESTER — A proposal for a Dunkin’ Donuts at the corner of one of the town’s busiest intersections is dead for now after the planning board voted to deny its application.

Salema and his land use agent, James P. Phippard from Brickstone Land Use Consultants LLC, left the meeting immediately following the decision.

Salema said he was disappointed, but declined to say more.

“There’s just so much I want to say, it’s not even worth it,” Salema said.

During the meeting it was clear whom he believed was responsible for the rejection, though.

When Gordon made her motion to deny the application, Marsh advised her to include her own reasoning within her motion. Salema, who was sitting in the audience, supplied one for her.

“Kulick’s,” he said.

During the course of the public hearing, the project received opposition from local grocery store Kulick’s Inc. through its attorneys. Kulick’s is less than a mile away from the proposed site on Route 78 and also operates gas pumps in the plaza where it’s located.

Owner Stanley S. Plifka Jr. said this morning he was happy about the board’s decision.

Plifka said he was not opposed to having a Dunkin’ Donuts in town, but thought it should stand alone, without the gas pumps.

“We need industry and not duplication,” said Plifka, who had previously spoken against adding a third set of gas pumps to the area surrounding the intersection.

In addition to Kulick’s gas pumps, there is also a gas station at the southwest corner of the intersection, diagonally across from the proposed Dunkin’ Donuts. Another gas station and convenience store is located in the center of town, just over a half-mile north on Route 10.

[Myrkul999]

“We need industry and not duplication,” said Plifka, who had previously spoken against adding a third set of gas pumps to the area surrounding the intersection.

That's just blatant protection of a monopoly.

[WhatsInaName]

Appeal filed over gas station plan
Posted: Monday, September 10, 2012 12:15 pm | Updated: 11:38 am, Mon Sep 10, 2012.
By Garrett Brnger
http://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/appeal-filed-over-gas-station-plan/article_595084ca-a803-52d1-9693-a8e5cd7e0d9e.html

The appeal makes only an oblique reference to specific incidents through a quote from the board’s July 16 meeting minutes:

“(Gus) Ruth reminds the board of certain happenings of this board during the public hearing process such as (Kim) Gordon passing papers to Kulick’s attorney and other members passing ‘personal’ papers from one member to another then another. He does not believe this will look good in court.”

During the May 21 meeting, Gordon handed attorney Kelly E. Dowd a folder of site plan review regulations, according to the meeting minutes.

“She (Gordon) was sharing information with the other attorney in front of everybody,” Salema said in an interview. “That’s unacceptable.”

Kulick’s opposed the project through its attorneys during the public hearings. The store, located on Route 78 less than a half-mile from the intersection, runs gas pumps.

Owner Stanley S. Plifka Jr. told The Sentinel in July that if the proposal were to go through, “you’re going to have three gas stations you could physically throw a baseball to, and that makes no sense to me.”

Salema and his land use agent, James P. Phippard of Brickstone Land Use Consultants, implied a connection between Plifka and Gordon on at least two occasions during the public hearing and deliberations process.

Minutes of the the board’s May 21 meeting show when Gordon asked Phippard if the applicant would consider removing the gas pumps from the proposal, Phippard “replied no he would not do that for Mr. Plifka.”

[WhatsInaName]

Dollar General sues Swanzey to open a store in town. Swanzey claims opening 1 addition store in town will put too much of a strain on the water system.

Store dispute: Swanzey sued
Posted: Monday, September 24, 2012 12:15 pm | Updated: 11:38 am, Mon Sep 24, 2012.
By Garrett Brnger
http://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/store-dispute-swanzey-sued/article_dfddf941-b5b4-5841-ad91-56a01ad616c0.html

SWANZEY — The developers of a Dollar General store rejected by the Swanzey Planning Board have appealed that decision in Cheshire County Superior Court.

Zaremba Group LLC asserts in the court documents that the board ignored expert evidence and public utility laws in making its decision.

It also alleges the board acted in bad faith by having inaccurate minutes and referencing reasons for denial in the official decision that were not included in the motion.

Zaremba asks for a reversal of the decision by either the board or the court and for the town to pay for its attorney fees.