<p>As a long public review of the Stop & Shop expansion winds down before the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, opposition to the project has begun to heat up. An Island citizens group is circulating an online petition and organizing a letter-writing campaign to the MVC.</p>
As a long public review of the Stop & Shop expansion winds down before the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, opposition to the project has begun to heat up. With a final public hearing on the plan set for next week, an Island citizens group has formed and is circulating an online petition and organizing a letter-writing campaign to the MVC.
Vineyard Haven resident Ben Robinson, who is involved in the petition effort, said it is an attempt to “bring sunshine to the situation, inform the public and allow the MVC to feel somewhat backed up by the public. If the MVC is not going to stand up to this stuff we’re going to have to stand up to the MVC.”
Stop & Shop’s large expansion plan has been under review by the commission for the past nine months as a development of regional impact (DRI). The grocery chain wants to double the size of its Water street store into a two-story, 30,000-square-foot building with a 42-space parking garage.
The commission has held seven public hearings with an eighth hearing scheduled for next Thursday night at 6 p.m at the Tisbury senior center.
Commission chairman Fred Hancock said this week that he expects it to be the last hearing. “We are very much hoping that in the three to four hours that we have scheduled next week that we can bring all that to a close and get on with doing the deliberation and decision,” Mr. Hancock said by telephone. He said he does not expect deliberation or a vote on Thursday.
The Stop & Shop plan has been complicated by many factors, including concerns about size, traffic and environmental impacts in the location at the gateway to the Island, across the street from the main Steamship Authority terminal. In response, the plan has been revised along the way. Separate talks between the town of Tisbury and Stop & Shop over a $1.16 million mitigation package have added another layer to the public discussion around the project. The mitigation agreement has been approved by the town selectmen but not yet signed. Tisbury town administrator Jay Grande said this week that wording in the agreement is being finalized. Geoghan Coogan, a Tisbury attorney who is representing Stop & Shop, said in an email Thursday that a final proposal that will be before the commission next week includes specific offers relative to affordable housing and financial contributions toward traffic mitigation. He said a signed agreement with Tisbury is not imperative for Stop & Shop to move forward. “We have never asked nor expected a blanket vote of support from the town,” Mr. Coogan wrote.
Public opinion has been strong on both sides of the project, as seen through public comments and correspondence sent to the commission.
Last summer, Stop & Shop submitted a petition with more than 1,500 signatures in support of the project to the commission.
A petition against the project was posted online on Monday. As of Thursday at 5 p.m. it had 669 signatures.
The petition asks the commission to reject the proposal because of inappropriate scale and character, traffic, economic, and environmental impacts, and because it will set a dangerous precedent by raising “the benchmark for an acceptable scale and style of development in the rest of Vineyard Haven and elsewhere on the Island.”
Mr. Coogan said he could not comment specifically on the petition because he had not seen it. “From what I have heard, some of the facts stated in the petition are simply inaccurate and appear to be based on the very original proposal,” he said.
The Gazette received a flood of critical letters during the week. Late Thursday a packet of letters supporting the plan was dropped off at the Gazette. All letters appear online at mvgazette.com
Meanwhile, the commission is looking ahead to the post-public hearing review process with its land use planning committee (LUPC). At a meeting last week, the commission discussed concerns that the review would be too-well attended. The subcommittee is traditionally made up of voluntary membership and there is no set number for the subcommittee. But if all members of the commission attend the subcommittee meeting, it would violate the open meeting law.
“We haven’t really had this issue before,” Mr. Hancock said. The LUPC usually makes a recommendation to the full committee to approve or deny a project; Mr. Hancock said they are considering waiving the recommendation part of the subcommittee process. “Perhaps in that way we can tamp down the enthusiasm for everybody to show up,” he said.
The commission, a regional planning agency chartered by the state legislature with unique powers to plan and control development on the Vineyard, has come under fire at times from all sides during the Stop & Shop review.
Mr. Hancock acknowledged that the pressure is on. “I think it’s fairly obvious to me and probably to other people that this is an issue that has aroused feelings on both sides and I would expect that it’s probably not going to be a one-sided vote,” he said. “When that happens obviously it takes longer to come to a decision.”
He concluded: “When we come to a project like this, sometimes your mind says one thing and your heart says something else. Obviously commissioners have to be comfortable with their own decisions and I think one of the great strengths of the members that we have is that we can make a contentious decision and then come back the next week and nobody harbors a grudge.
“I have respect in the commissioners that they all have the best interest of the Island at heart. I mean that’s why they spend this much time doing this work. That’s why for this hearing process that’s lasted just about a year now, we have no attrition from the number of members that started hearing it, which is highly unusual. People have gone to great lengths to make sure they still have a seat at the table.”
Comments
I can think of some reasons
Semi CriticalI can think of some reasons why the Stop & Shop expansion is a good thing, and some reasons why it is not. First of all, the architecture. I don't think we should underestimate the quality of the work that was done in making this an attractive building. The original design was more akin to an abandoned warehouse in Detroit. Well, that is a bit of an over-statement – but it was horrible. The architecture and the setback from the road are really a big improvement.
On the negative side, it is a large corporate building, and corporations are under attack politically for being one of the major causes of societal problems in wealth disparity, in the environment, and so as part of that culture, corporate culture, the Stop & Shop is guilty. But only in a minor way because they have done so much to try to make themselves good neighbors. And in truth, there are a lot of local corporations that are much worse. Just look at the gas station owners and the prices they charge, the bright lights, and on and on. Or look at the competition to the Stop & Shop – even more expensive in some cases, better value in other cases, but it is a mixed back. At least they do not collude.
Traffic has been raised as an issue. Would there be a traffic problem were it not for the Steamship Authority being there? And if there would not be, then why do we put the blame on Stop & Shop when they are adding parking?
In short, there are serious questions as to the motivation of the petitions and as we may recall there were petitions against a gas station on State Road and that this petition was started by the competition. Is that the case here? Perhaps not. Probably not. But nevertheless, who stands to benefit?
The concern about
Thomas Hodgson West TisburyThe concern about "overdevelopment" is appropriate, but is badly misplaced. Nor is it particularly sensible to stir up a too-late reaction, which seems "days late and dollars short". Where was this concern six months, a year ago, years ago, when it was time for legitimate public comment?
Save the island from "overdevelopment"? Overdevelopment of Martha's Vineyard happened years ago, and the planning job now is to deal with the consequences of our enormous growth of the last fifty years. Our well-intentioned zoning laws succeeded only in spreading houses all over our landscape, eating up thousands upon thousands of acres that might otherwise still be wild and open. We need to keep businesses in the towns, and not out on acres and acres of previously unused land.
To be accurate, putting the Stop'n'Shop elsewhere would be the real "overdevelopment". "Appropriate" is keeping large-scale development in the towns, and not in spreading them over the landscape. Zoning in all down island town areas, main street areas in particular, should allow taller buildings. That is the the old, efficient New England way to grow. The way it should still be. Unfortunately, our zoning laws preclude this kind of rational development.
First, its never "too late".
honestlyFirst, its never "too late". Second, the public comment period is still open. Third, we are not reviewing a development elsewhere on the island. Forth, "appropriate" is keeping large scale development off the island.
The island has long remained independent of this sort of corporate development. And for good reason. Stop & Shop has not budged off their first proposal, they have not in any way, adjusted their corporate model to fit into our island.
New S&S 30,000 feet of floor
Tom Hodgson WTNew S&S 30,000 feet of floor area. Cronig's. 23,000. This is particularly not large scale compared to other island structures. To say that the island is not full of corporate development is to ignore facts and history. To deny that S&S has not changed their plans due to local comments also ignores the facts.
Help me understand here. A
Caroline New YorkHelp me understand here. A company that provides a vital service to residents is being given extraordinarily demanding marching orders by the same residents who probably shop at this store??? Seems to this outsider (but former insider) that Stop & Shop has cooperated at every twist and turn. Gosh, if I were their corporate leaders, I'd bail on this location completely, let the residents find another corporate patsy to push around. Insanity. It's a grocery store folks, not a nuclear power plant.
sure, I'll help.
honestlysure, I'll help.
First what are these "extraordinarily demanding marching orders" you speak of? That we want an in town grocery store to fit with the rest of the town. that we don't want it to dominate the public parking, that we don't want it to further worsen the traffic. That we want to know that a multi national corporation is going to honor and understand our local character.
They have not at all adjusted their proposal to meet the concerns of the island.
Whats so wrong with people having a say in how the island is developed?
In my opinion,there's a HUGE
Caroline New YorkIn my opinion,there's a HUGE difference between residents saying how their island is developed and becoming a huge thorn to a viable concern just because you can. There are so many real issues that residents can squawk about, where you can really complain and make a difference, but what a waste of hot air to complain about Stop & Shop because they are a multi-national corporation!! I have to guess you don't ever shop at Amazon, or buy a car from any manufacturer, or use electricity. All multi-national corporations. Hey, you are using the internet now. Don't you think the provider is a multi-national corporation?
I can understand the issue of aesthetics of the store but beyond that, not much else.
If you want it to "fit" with
Ken Esq EdgartownIf you want it to "fit" with the rest of the town they should leave the store exactly the way it is and it will fit in with the other dilapidated/abandoned/run-down buildings in that area. Take a look at the rest of that block and around on to Beach Avenue. People should be delighted that the only affordable supermarket on the Island is willing to rebuild and add a substantial amount of parking to that area. They could just treat it like the other building owners in that area and keep raking in money without making any investment.
For some strange reason there's no movement, petitions or mobilization to get the owners of the other wrecks in that area to do anything about their buildings.
If you remove Stop & Shop from Vineyard Haven it's no longer a town...it's just a tourist trap full of pricey T-Shirt/souvenir shops, pricey restaurants/cafes and bad pizza and ice cream vendors with a couple of car, moped and bike rental shops tossed in. Judging from many of the addresses on that survey the needs of Island year-round residents that have to live within a reasonable budget isn't within their realm of concern.
Move it. There is a lot of
Mel Shatcher West Palm BeachMove it. There is a lot of open dirt elsewhere. Bad loction to begin with anyway. Don't make it worse. Once built ....there forever. First off the boat, a parking garage, cars and a store. Quanit.
"Open Dirt" is exactly where
Thomas Hodgson wt"Open Dirt" is exactly where this market should not go. There is a very limited amount of land on MV, and an S&S outside town could easily gobble up five acres or more. Move this store and what do carless town residents do to get their food?
Caroline, I think you miss
Mike H MassCaroline, I think you miss the point entirely. If you do not make an attempt to control the growth now, soon you will have McDonald's,,, As or bailing on the project...that is what ( at least the majority for what I read ) wants. Frankly, I hope they do. They have not been good corporate neighbors - letting their buildings become run down both inside and out. While competition is good, perhaps Vinayarders should look to replace S & S with someone who is interested the betterment of the island like Trader Joe's or Wegmans.
What I love is that the
justme aka Marie Laursen Vineyard HavenWhat I love is that the harder we fight to preserve (sorta) Martha's Vineyard's appealing beauty and olde New England charm, the harder others fight to get a piece of it, and turn it into Anywhere, USA.
You, Tom, are sorely in need of getting more information on this big box supermarket, not a grocery store, before you write another word. There has been a lot happening from the beginning that you are not aware of, including public hearings attended by members of the public. No one saw you there. Have you read any of the letters to the MV Commission?? I suggest you do, to see what the objections are.
You, Caroline, should go somewhere else if you don't like to see Democracy in action. Ahold must be in your portfolio. What are they trading for today? Some of their local employees are living in affordable housing.
I have been a homeowner on MV
Greg TexasI have been a homeowner on MV since 1980. Vineyard Haven then was a thriving business centric town that serviced the needs of residents, craftsmen, homeowners, etc. The downtown area boasted grocery, drygoods, multiple retail shops (high and modest prices) drugstores,a movie theater and miscellaneous retail shops. Look at the downtown today and the impact time, bad planning board decisions (utility repairs during prime season) and what appears to be hostile attitude toward business. Empty storefronts, and low impact retail. In short, the town looks pretty sad.
It looks to an outsider that the current residential and administrative regime seeks to further erode and diminish an opportunity to bring some new life to the town by imposing the same thinking that is responsible for the Main Street area decay. The impression an arriving ferry passenger gets after passing the inbound ugly shipyards, oil tanks and unattractive buildings is the five corners impasse. It must be a bit deflating for the first time visitor. Is this the reason visitors are eager to get to the next town? The S&S expansion and remodel is a real opportunity to bring new life to Vineyard Haven. It's time to stop using business expansion as a veiled platform to argue social justice concerns. Wake up!
A hostile attitude toward
justme aka Marie Laursen Vineyard HavenA hostile attitude toward business? That is why the Mansion House rebuilt out to almost the street, then created an outdoor patio which has morphed into part of the Copper Wok. They received a lowered tax rate last year, a little gift from the town.
Empty storefronts? Talk to the owners of the buildings about what they charge for rent. Which ones are empty? The several seasonal shops? They serve the ever growing tourist population.
Yes, you are an outsider who has no idea how saddened we are that our post office and grocery store (Cronig's), the hardware store (Shirley's,) and the dry goods store are all gone from Main Street. Stop blaming the town for the business owners' failure to maintain their property, such as the Stop and Shop, etc, etc.
What we need and are asking for is for the Stop and Shop, one of the few remaining anchor stores in downtown Vineyard Haven, besides banks, to keep the grocery store a grocery store, not a big box supermarket. By the way, I shop there. year round.
May we agree that the present
Mr. B. ChilmarkMay we agree that the present structure is a dump? It is unappealing and ineffective on every level, a lousy place to try to shop in any season. I believe that they do their best with what they have, but this place is an architectural loser inside and out. What they are proposing solves many of the issues, more--in my opinion--that one might have expected.
The place is a dump because
honestlyThe place is a dump because the current owners (Stop & Shop) let be one. They could easily renovate the store at its current scale.
I agree. What is inherently
TinaI agree. What is inherently wrong with the Stop & Shop as it presently exists? A bit of spucing up would solve any aesthetic problems.
In S&S's favor, let me remind
tom hodgson wtIn S&S's favor, let me remind you that the very first thing S&S did when they took the store from A&P was to completely gut the store to the walls, clean it, and rebuild it inside. A&P did not do much by way of maintenance, it seems.
It seems neither has Stop &
HonestlyIt seems neither has Stop & Shop kept up with their maintenance inside and out.
They claim they can't function without enlarging the store, yet it is one of their most profitable stores as it currently stands. This kind of disingenuous thinking to frame their argument to increase their profits at the expense of the vineyard character is what seems to be driving the opposition to become so vocal.
I am glad that the island once again is standing up to the off island pressures of development to maximize profits of a corporation that has no ties to our island.
Since stop & shop has been here what have they done that helps the island and not just their bottom line?
Renovate the store as is, it's just so simple.
We islanders don't want to see our island buried under corporate development bent on short term profit gains at the expense of our unique, independent and globally respected way of life, period.
Hopefully the traffic
Mit Gold EdgartownHopefully the traffic planning for this project will look at a way to provide a logical flow of traffic in and out of the busiest spot on our island.
It would seem sensible that there be a way in and a way out for vehicle traffic. Currently the traffic diagram does not work: traffic in and out through that same tough intersection.
There needs to be a way out for vehicles coming off the boat and after picking up people that is in an other direction than the way in. Seems pretty basic!
Thank you! a sane observation
justme aka Marie Laursen Vineyard HavenThank you! a sane observation at last! We are working on it. Henry Stephenson, Planning Board Member, has made suggestions and worked hard on the redesign of the town's parking lot next to the Stop and Shop. (btw, lots of people don't know that the lot belongs to Tisbury.)
Look at the letters to the MVC, posted on their website. Click on calendar, scroll down to May 1, click on "commentary."
excuse me, the MVC letters
justme Vineyard Havenexcuse me, the MVC letters are under"correspondence," not "commentary."
Just to let you know, where
lucid voice VHJust to let you know, where was Stop & Shop all this time? They are the ones who are in the buildings.
They were the one who made those buildings derelict. Since they have taken over from A&P, they have not done anything themselves to tidy up the space or exterior. And, not keeping up with any maintenance all these years, and abusing the public parking lot, with little maintenance, and violating the agreement of the truck by letting them overstay in the public parking lot all these years.
All of sudden, if they are going to be all-nice and all-caring, please, everyone, look at how they have been operating their business in that location. They are to be blamed for the derelict conditions. Not the town or the concerned residents.
Let's not forget that!
The redesign & expansion of
Joanne Lambert Oak BluffsThe redesign & expansion of the S&S is a win-win for everybody. The area being cleaned up is a dump, NOT because of the grocery store, because of the abandoned buildings around it. There is not another entity coming forward with the resources to make it better. I have lived here & shopped there for 35 years - it is a nightmare for shopping, it needs improvement and they are willing to do it. I don't agree that it will make anything worse. The people who shop at the current store will continue to shop there. Maybe Cronig's will have to lower some prices to keep customers.
First of all I wish they
Ken EdgartownFirst of all I wish they hadnt bought the buildings before the plan was approved. Maybe it was their plan to let them remain empty while pushing this through. Everyone knows that buildings that remain empty arent maintained. Mvc needs to approve or deny and quit dragging this out.
The paper is one of the most
Village life vineyard HavenThe paper is one of the most logical places to start discovering information. Spending time on the computer though, searching pertinent sites, is the other.
From someone who has delayed holiday travel, missed dinners with family, discovered more information some times than necessary, and has attended almost every meeting concerning the S $ S and the parking lot. Here are a few points of information
> The retail part of the proposed store will be just under 28,000 sq ft. Once you add the food storage and prep areas that will be located under the second floor area occupied now in the vicinity of the paper and misc things that are sold in the back of the present S $ S, you top 30 thousand sq ft.
> The lot size is 114'x 237'(+-)= 27,018.
> Two floors equal 54,036 sq ft. S $ S has reduced some sq footage along the south side as the lot line is in a lightning pattern and they pushed back a second floor, Water street side to create a deck area. What has been calculated by independent people has been an entire usage of space inclusive of the parking garage, the retail and other is 49,864 sq ft. This of course is +- and is dependent on where the final drawings indicate the foundations and pilings on their MAXed out lot will be.
> 38.6' tall at Water St. Check the pole attached to the side of the S $ S.
> Traffic studies by the S $ S and independent contractors have said that currently 5 corners is a failed intersection. There have been predictions of 5-15% increases to that failed intersection traffic flow if the proposed store moves forward. These numbers do not include the gridlock that we have experienced in the summers past, and on a daily basis now with traffic halted at the Edgartown / State Rd intersection. Their studies were done I believe in Sept 2013.
In the opposite direction in the off season traffic is stopped as far back as the town landing.
In the summer in both directions it is further beyond. So the mathematical question is how much more is 5 - 15% when added to that? What also has been neglected in these talks, in the papers etc. are the other travel ways to Water St.. Those are Main St., Spring St., Norton Lane and Union St. All of which are directional to Water St which in itself is the only exit.
> Traffic officer? or light? Traffic officer full or part time? Liability to that officer when large trucks are turning for the SSA or the S $ S.Increased in salary to hire an officer. With the added officer? Insurance?
There is no logical way to make the traffic flow better with an added 5-15% to one failed intersection. there are at least three in the summer. NO ONE has come up with a solution.
check on line other Cape Cod towns with similar problems with S $ S. Follow the information
> Lost time trying to cut through 5 Corners or as when the drawbridge is up, trying to skirt around VIA Barnes Rd. Every contractor (builder, landscape, lawyers, mothers, EMT,...)knows the implications as do visitors and residents alike trying to get to the boat. or home or other.So when someone says there must be a logical way, each alternative has its negatives.
> FEMA, Anything toxic by accident or other in or around the S $ S site or parking lot and this is inclusive of oil drips, antifreeze, vehicle lubricants etc. can drain down towards Water St.. Water St. is a filled stream/ marsh. The water table is 3 -4' below the hard surface. This water table is connected to our harbour and lagoon. The harbor has aquatic sea life that attracts thousands of people a year. The Lagoon is famous for our scallops. If these are polluted from the Water St area, Then there will be a major environmental and economic impact to our tourist trade and summer residence economy.
> The area is an eyesore. Renovate the existing store as they did their 12 thousand + sq foot store on Nantucket. Make it the satellite store to Edgartown. Improve the facades with gable roofs windows and siding, Create a village scape. Remove the Chinese restaurant building and have their truck dock on the south side of the building. These are easy solutions and does not increase the traffic, helps the neighborhood and does not take 18 million in construction costs or pit vineyarders against each other.
> My logical thinking is not to maximize the size of a store that is already doing well and would only bring additional problems.
We can all agree or disagree on sites like this but in the end where I stand is; I love progress, I like my computer, I like having electricity, but I also like walking into town, Riding my bike around town and feeling like I live in a village. I did not move to MV to have the opportunity to shop at a BIG BOX store or have to deal with grid lock on my way to the boats.
I hope that the MVC will deny
Julie Martha's VineyardI hope that the MVC will deny Stop and Shop from building this proposed building. I would like to see Stop and Shop clean up the front of its building and incorporate the old Chinese restaurant into their store. I would think that this addition plus the old Midnight Farm section of the building would be enough room. They already have a large store in Edgartown. So why, at this location, do they need another giant store. Let them put their money into making this VH store am efficient, clean jewel of a store not a giant eye sore. If you look at the scale drawings of the proposed building you will be shocked at its size and how it towers over the neighboring buildings. Then maybe you will understand why we are trying to stop it. I am all for their renovating this eye sore, I simply do not want to see the construction of this over sized building which will negatively affect our harbor and town. I love our island because it is a beautiful place to live, a safe place to raise our children, a good place to work with a great assortment of good people. I believe in supporting our locally owned businesses. I chose not to live on the mainland because I didn't want to live in the world of malls. That is why so many of us chose the Vineyard to live. And why we do not want to see it ruined. We are trying to protect what we all love.
Julie, I'm pretty sure that
Doug Oak BluffsJulie, I'm pretty sure that you'll find that if they spend a certain amount of money (it's a percentage of the building's value) on improvements then they then have to bring the building up to code with regard to construction in a flood hazard zone. That involves elevating the building above the flood plain. At that point one doesn't "fix up", one tears down and rebuilds and the new construction must be elevated. That's what they're proposing to do. Don't blame S&S for that. That's the environmental protection laws at work. And when you invest that kind of money, of course one is looking for some payback for that investment in the way of increasing/improving the sales floor area.
I completely agree with Julie
DD Vineyard HavenI completely agree with Julie. Stop & Shop could make so much more of the spaces they currently possess (Chinese restaurant space, Midnight Farm space, etc.) to make their "wider isles" and other improvements. Why isn't that real estate enough? They, instead, choose to keep the store dumpy, dingy, and an eyesore for dramatic effect. Don't succumb to their ploy!!!
I hope it goes through. The
Maureen Regan Edgartown/NYCI hope it goes through. The current store is an eyesore pure and simple.
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