Costco has applied for zoning variances to Guilford’s Zoning Code that would:
· define a Discount Club in Guilford to include reference “to a possible 12-pump gas station” (which is known to be Costco’s national policy to include)
· add a Discount Club to the list of allowed uses in the Rock Pile SCW Zone District (to include “a possible 12-pump gas station”)
· lift the current limits on building size in that zone so that one 150,000 sq. ft. big box store could be built (= five football fields in size and bigger than the Town Green)
· establish a parking standard for a Discount Club (same as that already required for Guilford buildings over 5,000 sq. ft).
· establish signage regulations appropriate for a Discount Club (which would double the present size allowed)
Primary objections to this application for zoning amendments are as follows:
1) Many years of planning by Guilford citizens went into the development of the 2002 Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) and the Guidelines for Boston Post Road West. The resulting plans are reflected in our current building size limits (25,000 sq.ft. and one building at 40,000 sq.ft. by Special Permit).
2) The Vision for Guilford as articulated in the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) emphasizes economic development that fits into the size, scale and character of the Town – the only mention of “big box stores” in the POCD is followed by the word “de-emphasize”
3) Parking requirements for the average number of visits to a Costco store (1.5 million visits per year = average 4,109 visits per day) are likely to greatly exceed those needed by stores 1/30th the size of the proposed Costco store
Although the series of Public Hearings* beginning on October 17 will only address the five zone changes above, it is important to know that if approved, a Costco Site plan application would have as-of-right status (assuming an Inland Wetlands permit is granted). For that reason, the following objections must be raised now:
4) The so-called economic benefits to the Town as projected by Costco are based on false assumptions because in fact, there will be little or none over time
5) The traffic generated by a Costco store cannot be the same as that expected by the already approved (but unbuilt) Guilford Commons project, if only because that project did not include a 12-pump gas station. No other single point access Costco store in CT is located on a two-lane highway.
6) The negative effects on local merchants and Guilford’s nascent tourist industry cannot be ignored and must be taken into account
7) Although the Costco application would not automatically allow big box stores in any other zoning district, the owners of other properties could make the same request as Costco – hence the danger of a domino effect from changes to regulations in the SCW (Rock Pile) zone.
8) Although the Costco application does not currently include the sale of wine or liquor, (Guilford’s regulations would require another amendment to the Zoning Code and a Special Permit for such sales in the SCW zone), it has been publically stated that when available, Costco would like to have a liquor license. Given that state law requires public access to wine and liquor stores (and cannot be limited to Discount Club members), additional traffic congestion on Route 1 must be expected in the future.
9) Given the availability of Cash Cards to Costco members to share with friends, neighbors and family members, it is likely that there will be virtually public access to the 12- pump gas station – further increasing the traffic above that expected by Members Only.
10) The overall impact on the local economy when gas stations, wine/liquor stores, local grocery stores, bakeries, caterers, hardware and other key stores in Guilford are forced out of business would be devastating and could change the character of Guilford forever.
ONE ZONE CHANGE CAN LEAD TO ANOTHER
In a recent article in a local newspaper, in response to a question as to why the Costco application for a big box store in Guilford does not include the sale of wine or liquor, representative Joe Montesano is quoted as saying “that Costco would be interested in acquiring a license should one become available”.
Given the proximity of the Sachem’s Wine store on the corner of the Rock Pile, and the inclusion of that property in the Costco application, it is not too difficult to imagine the next steps – the owner of Sachem’s Wine enjoys an early retirement (presumably at Costco’s expense), the liquor license sought by Costco becomes theirs, an application for another zone change to allow the sale of wine and liquor on the Rock Pile is submitted (because it is not currently included among the permitted uses in the SCW District) and a request for a Special Permit will surely follow (as required under Guilford’s regulations for Package Stores).
Is this an example of Costco’s claims of transparency? Even though the Costco application states that the zone change they want will not affect other zones in Guilford, what is to prevent other owners of large properties trying the same approach – wooing resident support with specious claims of tax benefits when the facts suggest that little if any long term financial benefit will accrue to the Town.
Hopefully members of the Planning and Zoning Commission will not fall for such fallacies and will reject the Costco request for zoning amendments because one zone change can lead to another and this is typical of how the giant Costco Corporation works its will on small towns like Guilford. We deserve more respect. Costco go away!
Note: This opinion was written by Tatjana Lorkovic and also appears in the section of Guilford Courier letters. It was printed in the September 23 Guilford Courier.
Guilford Citizens for Responsible Development 