Town seeks comments on big box issues

Neighborhood groups, public can respond until Nov. 1 Published 10/11/99

By JOHN GRIEP

News Editor

EASTON - Town officials are hoping for written comments from interested parties and the public concerning issues related to the big box moratorium.

In a memo to the town council and planning commission, Town Attorney Christopher Kehoe outlined the issues as they related to the framework set out for comprehensive planning by Maryland law.

F or each issue, Kehoe noted the language in state law concerning comprehensive plans and a general question related to that language. A series of questions developed by town staffers and officials follows that general question.

Comprehensive plans shall provide for "the coordinated, adjusted, and harmonious development ofthe juflsdiction, and its environs which wUl, in accordance with present and future needs, best promote health,... convenience, prosperity, and general welfare."

Kehoe said that standard could be addressed in regard to the big box moratorium as the following question: "Is additional big box retailing necessary for the town's present and future needs?"

· How should the commission and council make the determination of what our citizens need in this regard?

VOICE OPINION - PUBLIC REFERENDUM

· Who defines our "needs"? Residents? How should their views be determined?

RESIDEN~ : VOICE OPINION - PUBLIC REFERENDUM

· When members of the public express concern over additional big box retailing. are those concerns primarily directed to the existence of additional big box retailing? Can design and landscaping standards answer some of the public's concerns?

IF ThEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT "ADDITIONAL BIG BOX RETAILING", THEN THAT SAYS IT ALL!

· We have been told that Easton is a regional marketing center for the Mid Shore. Is this a trend we wish to encourage or discourage?

WHO TOLD EASTON WHAT ARE ThEIR CREDENTIALS?

· If the town changes its infrastructure (roads) to accommodate current additional big box proposals. will those changes generate additional development pressures?

YES AND A TAX BURDEN

· What are current big box retailers in town? What has been our current experience with big box retailing? How can we improve and learn from our experience?

N/A

· At what point does the presence of big box detract from Easto n's quality of life?

IT HAS - WITNESS INCREASE OF TRAFFIC

· What mechanisms can the town use to give clarity to developers regarding the big box requirements?

LIP READING - SORRY, COULDN'T RESIST...

· If the town decides we want big box retailing, what limitations do we want to impose upon developers as tar as location and other physical characteristics of the big box?

PAY 100% OF ALL RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE

Comprehensive plans shall provide '6r "the wise and efficient expenditure of public fundt"

"What are the fiscal benefits and detriments to the town which will be associated with additional big box retailing?"

· What are the tax benefits of additional big box retailing versus its costs, both hidden and obvious?

NEGATIVE BENIFITS IF ALL THE ANCILLARY INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS ARE MET.

· Can the town quantify the demand that additional big box retailing will place on public safety services?

NOT RELIABLY (NO ONE KNOWS FOR SURE)

· Are the fiscal benefits and detriments associated with additional big box retailing different from other types of development, i.e. residential, industrial? Are they greater or less?

BIG BOX WILL CREATE MANY LOW PAING JOBS - WHILE HIGH TECH COMPANIES WILL CREATE HIGHER PAYING JOBS U

· Are there studies done by other jurisdictions which can assist the town in answering these questions?

YES

· What fiscal impacts will additional big box retailing have on Talbot County?

NEGATIVE

· What, if any, costs related to infrastructure improvements should the town require developers to pay?

ALL- 100%

Comprehensive plans shall encourage economic growth.

"What economic impacts will additional big box retailing have upon the private sector economy in Easton?"

· Direct property value impacts on adjoining or nearby property?

DOWN

· Effects on other retailing, both in downtown Easton and elsewhere? Existing shopping centers?

NEGATIVE

· Effect on unemployment? Are retailing jobs the kind of jobs Easton wants to encourage at this point? Are there sufficient persons in the labor pool to provide employees?

SEE ABOVEE

· What supporting development, for example restaurants, will big box encourage and does the town want these supporting developments?

ASSUMES BIG BOX ENCOURAGES RESTAURANTS

Comprehensive plans shall provide br "the prevention ofenvironmental pollution" and the "stewardship ofthe Chesapeake Bay and the land is a (sici univenal ethic"

"What environmental effects will additional big box retailing have upon the environment in and surrounding Easton?"

· Is additional big box retailing in Easton consistent with stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay and the land?

NO

· There are expressed concerns over the ability of the Easton wastewater treatment system to treat discharge adequately for the Choptank River. How well does the town fulfill its obligations currently? Can the town fulfill its obligations in this regard in the future?

THIS IS AN ENGINEERING QUESTION.

· What is the effect of surface water run-off on the Tred Avon River? Is it different for additional big box retailing than for other types of development? More or less harmful?

INCREASES INPURVIOUS SURFACES

· The Maryland Department of the Environment is planning to issue new surhce water treatment standards. Will adherence to these standards improve the quality of run-off? When will these standards be effective?

I HOPE SO - HOPE WE DON'T HAVE TO FIND OUT.

· What effect will big box retailing have on noise, illumination, air quality and visual characteristics of the town?

BAD, OFFENSIVE, UNHEALThY AND AWFUL

Comprehensive plans shall contain "adequate provisions for traffic." All or almost all of the land upon which additional big box retailing can currently be located in Enston is on or closely adjacent to Route SO, Route 322 or both.

"Can Route 50, Route 322 and the secondary road system adequately handle traffic generated by additional bighox retailing?"

· What are the current capacities and anticipated traffic volumes of Routes 322, 50 and 33 over the next five

years?

- ROUTE 3221S BEING GROOMED FOR HIGH DENSITY NOW

- ROUTE 50 IS OVER USED NOW

- ROUTE 33 WAS A BYPASS, BUT NOT NOW!

· Does the SHA have any plans to improve conditions on those roads?

N/A

· How much traffic will additional big box retailing generate? Can the town and the public obtain more accurate information regarding volumes of traffic?

UNLESS THE BIG BOX IS EMPTY IT WILL GENIERATE TRAFFIC... THE TOWN WILL HAVE TO GET THE INFORMATION IF AND WHEN THERE IS TO BE A BIG BOX

· Most or all of the potential additional big box sites are also served by the secondary road systems of Talbot

County: Black Dog Alley, Chapel Road, Glebe Road, Goldsborough Neck Road. Are these roads capable of handling larger volumes of traffic which will be generated by additional big box retailing? Does the county have any plans, or any willingness, to widen or otherwise upgrade these roads?

SECONDARY ROADS ARE NOT CAPAIBLE OF HANDLING MORE TRAFFIC - I HOPE WE DO NOT HAVE TO WIDEN BUT MAYBE UPGRADE.

· Many secondary roads in town North Washington Street, Chapel Road and Glebe Road will be similarly affected. Does the town have the means or the desire to change those roads?

I AM HOPING THAT NEVER HAS TO HAPPEN.

· In the I 980s and early I 990s, the town approved Carlton Business Park, which now features Wal-Mart and Giant It was anticipated at the time that the arrangement of Elliott Road, Route 328 and Route 331 would be adequate for that development What can the town learn from that experience?

PLENTY

· What degree of cooperation and coordination can the town realistically anticipate with the county and SHA as demands on road systems increase as a result of additional big box retailing?

N/A

· If additional big box retailing will require significant changes to our street system. are Easton residents willing to tolerate those changes to accommodate additional big box stores?

I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR A FIEW AND THE ANSWER IS NO.

· Should the town adopt minimum standards of service for affected road systems for future development proposals in the town?

THE DEVELOPER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MINIMUM STANDARDS OF SERVICE FOR EFFECTED AREAS.

Comprehensive plans shall provide for "the promotion ofgood civic design and arrangement"

"Will the buildings in which big box retailing is located prove to be flexible in meeting changing needs and demands? Does the town want to encourage/permit/prohibit this particular means to connect people with goods and services?"

· What is the current life span for big box, particularly in light of the emerging alternate technologies for commerce?

N/A

· What mechanisms should be imposed in the event that a big box becomes vacant? Guarantees? Bonds? How have other communities converted vacant big boxes to other uses?

BONDS - AND ENOUGH TO RETURN TO PROPERTY BACK TO NATURE

What is the current ratio of commercially, residentially, industrially and institutionally zoned property in

Easton? What is the ratio of developed to undeveloped property in Easton? How do these ratios compare to

similar communities in this region?

N/A

Specific questions to be addressed by big box retailers.

· - What is appealing to retailers about Easton?

N/A

· What are the closest locations of stores of equal size to those proposed for Easton?

N/A

· What are the big box retailer's volume expectations in terms of number of customers? Now? In 5, 10, 20 years? When would expansion be required? How would it be accomplished?

N/A

· Is it possible for the retail shopping opportunities that are offered by big box stores to be made available in Easton through other mechanisms, for example Home Depot's 'Village Concept," or be retrofitted into existing shopping centers?

N/A

Neighborhood organizations. community groups, interested parties and the public can send written comments on any, or all, of the above questions to the Town of Easton, 14 5. Harrison St, P.O. Box 520, Easton, Md. 21601. Please include your name and address.

Nancy Miller