Yesterday’s public scoping hearing in regards to the Wal-Mart to be built on Hospital Road drove home the point that this site is wholly inappropriate for a store of this size. The primary concern raised by community members in attendance was the amount of traffic such a large, big-box retailer would bring. As we all know traffic around the proposed sight is already bad enough. With a hospital, fire department, and senior citizen complex in close proximity to the proposed site, coupled with the expected increase in traffic, such a store will be a public hazard. Another point that was raised was that this particular Wal-Mart is going to be open twenty-four hours a day. This was new information to some of the attendees with one man in particular stating, “The more we hear about this Wal-Mart, the worse it gets”. Having a 24 hour Wal-Mart creates a whole new set of problems for the community like the noise pollution it will cause in the middle of the night from loading and unloading large trucks. Freda Eisenberg also pointed out that the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) used antiquated data from 1996 in its assessment. Several local business owners added their input stating that if a Wal-Mart were to be built, they would undoubtedly be forced to close their shops. Overall the meeting really highlighted how a Wal-Mart at the proposed location would adversely affect the community. Whether it be the congestion, its impact on local businesses and the environment, as well as noise pollution from trucks loading and unloading in the middle of the night, a Wal-Mart on Hospital Road is flat out wrong. As per Michael Albano, a new DEIS is to be completed, and once approved by the town board, a final vote on the proposal is to take place within 45 days. Public comments can be sent to Michael J. Albano at malbano@brookhaven.org up until July 5th.
We would love it in e patchogue. There's nothing like Walmart by us. We hope it's passed
ReplyDeleteThanks for your input. The problem with this particular Wal-Mart is its location will cause serious congestion and noise pollution.
ReplyDeleteI took a long bike ride through the southern US last year and traveled last summer to Demopolis, Alabama. Demopolis was once a town and is now, instead, a Walmart. The local shops have shriveled (literally) and the town relocated around the Walmart. It would be silly of me to assume or try to assert here that the same could happen to an affluent town like Patchogue. However, if one were to do some serious homework on the consistent impacts Walmart has on communities it enters into they are majorly negative. Particularly for businesses. When smaller businesses are unable to sell cheaper products because they cannot buy in such great bulk as a Walmart can they become unprofitable and need to close down. Employees lose their jobs and family-owners often need to leave the area. I think of the small businesses that already struggle on Route 112; some that serve to weave the fabric of diversity through a town where conformity prevails, some that offer holistic medical options, some that have been there for generations. Wouldn't it be a shame to lose those businesses? Their time will only grow increasingly harder if we accept a Walmart in this community. It's been my experience, growing up in Medford that the familial structure and community structure is hurt by the privacy and conformity inherent in "suburban" life; further conforming our lives to the "suburban" standards set for us by such big-businesses as McDonalds, Walgreens, KMart, 711, could further damage the spiritual well-being of our children. This is not to touch on the negative impact Walmart has on the environment and not even to come close to touching on the cyclically negative mental impacts just walking through a Walmart can have on a person. I just want to urge anyone who even still glances at this 'Stop Walmart' information to feel safe in getting righteous about your beliefs. I believe that this corporation has more than enough money and doesn't need to establish one more location let alone the hundreds they are in the process of establishing nationally... right now. We have a voice. Let's use it.
ReplyDeleteWhere can I find exact information on this store, it's proposed location, it's EIS, any proposed tax breaks, etc.?
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