City Council Town of Easton

14 South Harrison Street

Easton, Maryland 21601

Dear Sirs:

I would like to submit my written comments concerning the "Big Box" planning issues, I am a resident of Talbot County but a business woman and property owner in the city of Easton. I grew up on the Western Shore and moved here because of the reputation and special characteristics of this town_, as well as the lifestyle and recreation opportunities the surrounding area provides

I think that there are one of two possible outcomes if we allow "Big Box" development into this area. The first is that it would be quite successful. That could have a beneficial and economic effect on the town_, but it would be at the expense of tremendous traffic problems and strain on the town infrastructure. I think that it would inevitably change the character of this town and the surrounding county by encouraging a suburban type sprawl.

The second possible scenario is that it would be successful only in the very short run and would eventually fail. I think that is actually more likely, because of the nature of this development, which consists of very similar companies competing with each other for market share (WalMart versus K-Mart, Home Depot versus Lowes); one of them is likely to win and drive the other out of business leaving at least part of the "Big Box" development standing empty

Another possible scenario for failure would be because a larger central mall may well be built within the next 10 years north of here, closer to Queen Anne's County designed to draw from our area all the way east to Dover and west through Kent Island. That would probably entice the very retailers that now want to locate in "Big Boxes" here into placing their stores at a different location. A classic example 'would be Home Depot deciding to put a Home Depot Superstore there and abandon the Home Depot in this area. Again the net result would be empty retail space and parking lots.

I think there are a lot of negative possible impacts and outcomes from allowing 'Big Box' development in our community and very few possible gains. We already have a choice among retailers including home improvement and lumber/hardware stores. We already offer a selection of clothing retailers, and,truthfully_, for many things people commute either to Annapolis or to Salisbury to a very large mall with a wide selection I think allowing spots of ('Big Box" development would be the worse of all possible worlds_, increasing traffic and population impact, running the risk of obsolesence while never offering enough shopping to make us totally self sufficient in this area.

I urge you to create language in the central plan that would prevent "Big Box^" development within the town limits If I had wanted to live on the Western Shore I would have stayed there.

Sincerely,

Susan T. Forlifer, M.D.

STF: bgc