---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 01 Feb 2000 11:15:13 -0500
From: Hartford Food System <hfoods@erols.com>
To: NE community food systems <nefood-l@listproc.tufts.edu>
Subject: [Fwd: [Fwd: Burlington supermarket vote]]
attached mail follows:
As a Burlington resident who has followed the supermarket issue closely,
(attended pretty much every presentation by every player, went to all the
neighborhood and city-wide meetings and City Council meetings where it was
discussed) I need to respond to Craig's assertion that the recent vote will
make getting a supermarket downtown take longer. In fact, if the City
Council were to reverse its position and support the Shaw's proposal,
several additional things would have to happen before construction could
begin.
1. Part of a residential neighborhood would have to be rezoned in a 'spot
zone' to commercial use. Neighborhood residents have promised a lawsuit if
the city attempts to do this. 2. Shaw's or the city would have to buy a
piece of property that is not currently for sale - either through
negotiation or use of eminent domain. Burlington residents are VERY wary of
the use of eminent domain, since the last use of it destroyed our
Italian-American neighborhood and dispersed its families across the state.
3. A bond issue to build the garage would have to pass.
4. And, Shaw's last proposal to the City Council also asked that the City
agree to not permit any other food store larger than 5,000 square feet
within the city limits if Shaw's agreed to build downtown. The proposal
would have to be re-negotiated, since it is unlikely that residents of the
outlying neighborhoods would be pleased with that stipulation.
It's true that the city is divided on the issue, but the question isn't
really Shaw's vs the Coop - it's more that many of us feel we didn't really
get ANY great proposals but we can't wait for the perfect fit to come along.
Sorry to go on so long, but, like most local issues, this one is much more
complex than most journalists can deal with.
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