Walgreens Hearing Comes To A Close

Hopefully P&Z says 'no' to the special permit. Why do we bother having zoning regulations and various building zones if all someone has to do is ask for a 'special' permit to get around them?

Jeb62 wrote:

Hopefully P&Z says 'no' to the special permit. Why do we bother having zoning regulations and various building zones if all someone has to do is ask for a 'special' permit to get around them?

Because some are different than others. We need to be flexible on these matters.

I'm a 36 year resident of Coventry and I can say with no reservation that allowing this Walgreens to come into town is a very sad thing. The main charm of living in this town my whole life has been the rural atmosphere and the open spaces. The area that is in question has always been very relaxed and attractive and this store promises to obliterate that pleasant scenery. Let's ignore the fact that it's completely idiotic to put a franchise pharmacy in a small town, directly across the street from a nearly identical business that offers nearly identical merchandise. It's completely redundant to state that almost no one in the town has any desire at all to see Walgreens manifest during their lifetimes. Why would they?......there's nothing positive that can come from it. As I see it, the developer simply sees a potential moneymaking opportunity and could give a crap less if he was building on a historic sight, or a an ancient indian burial ground for that matter.......he just sees dollar signs. To me it just seems like we're slowly, inevitably moving towards giving away everything that we love about our town because some slicksters are trying to tell us that there are hidden benefits that we can't see yet. They're going to donate money to get an intersection fixed? What good is that when you've not only ruined the asthetic pleasure of the area, but increased congestion and noise for the next 100 years? If I can't stop Walgreens from building their obscene monument in the middle of my wonderful town, at least I can promise that I'll never walk through the doors and buy anything. If anyone has any good suggestions on how to keep them out, I'd love to hear them. I've never been more disgusted with any situation in Coventry and if I'm ever going to take a side on an issue, it's this one.

Scott Lucas wrote:

I'm a 36 year resident of Coventry and I can say with no reservation that allowing this Walgreens to come into town is a very sad thing. The main charm of living in this town my whole life has been the rural atmosphere and the open spaces. The area that is in question has always been very relaxed and attractive and this store promises to obliterate that pleasant scenery. Let's ignore the fact that it's completely idiotic to put a franchise pharmacy in a small town, directly across the street from a nearly identical business that offers nearly identical merchandise. It's completely redundant to state that almost no one in the town has any desire at all to see Walgreens manifest during their lifetimes. Why would they?......there's nothing positive that can come from it. As I see it, the developer simply sees a potential moneymaking opportunity and could give a crap less if he was building on a historic sight, or a an ancient indian burial ground for that matter.......he just sees dollar signs. To me it just seems like we're slowly, inevitably moving towards giving away everything that we love about our town because some slicksters are trying to tell us that there are hidden benefits that we can't see yet. They're going to donate money to get an intersection fixed? What good is that when you've not only ruined the asthetic pleasure of the area, but increased congestion and noise for the next 100 years? If I can't stop Walgreens from building their obscene monument in the middle of my wonderful town, at least I can promise that I'll never walk through the doors and buy anything. If anyone has any good suggestions on how to keep them out, I'd love to hear them. I've never been more disgusted with any situation in Coventry and if I'm ever going to take a side on an issue, it's this one.

The blame here lies with the Town Manager who has been in power over 18 years. He is the one who decides what happens in town. If he didn't want it, example route 6 bypass, then it doesn't happen.

The store will help build the commercial tax base which is what this town needs. The PZC and some residents are complaining about the building. It will be a much better fit for the area than the metal garage eye sore that was built on the Loomis House property next to Highland Park Market.

Joe wrote:

The store will help build the commercial tax base which is what this town needs. The PZC and some residents are complaining about the building. It will be a much better fit for the area than the metal garage eye sore that was built on the Loomis House property next to Highland Park Market.

BS you drank the kool-aid. It redistributes tax revenue through them from other businesses where the services are already available. Walgreens coming to town is not a good thing.

A true disaster for our town.

Let's pay careful attention to who votes in favor of this project and return the favor to them over the years to come.

Be careful of Walgreen's. They are bullies. Look at what they did to Newington when they wanted to build on the Berlin Turnpike. Nobody wanted it, it was not needed, but if you notice it was still built.

PnZ wrote:

<quoted text>Because some are different than others. We need to be flexible on these matters.

Coventry's P&Z historically just says 'yes' to special permits, variances, and just about anything that develops land in Coventry.

A donation toward road improvements? If road improvements are necessary for their business, then they should pay the whole thing! I bet their tax payments won't equal the cost of the road improvements.

I bet their tax payments won't cover police overtime for all the accidents that will occur at that intersection.

Jeff wrote:

A true disaster for our town.
Let's pay careful attention to who votes in favor of this project and return the favor to them over the years to come.

I agree, but will we ever know who votes for it or not?

I think its time for a new Town Manager!

The facts are quite simple. We do NOT need an ugly stupid Walgreens on that pretty piece of land here in town. There is a perfectly good CVS drug store right across the street.

And Joe, you live in Berlin so mind your own business. I suppose you were happy when Ocean State Job Lot & Dollar Store moved in. Have you noticed it somewhat ruined the town? Also, there are scant people roaming the aisles of the relatively new Stop & Shop. Not every town has to have every freaking ugly money grabbing chain store. God, it's disgusting. Walgreens...WE DON'T WANT YOU HERE IN TOWN, WE DON'T NEED YOU HERE IN TOWN. STAY AWAY AND GO BACK FROM WHENCE YOU CAME!!

kathy wrote:

I think its time for a new Town Manager!

No, actually it's time for a new Town Planner. He's the one who advises the P&Z and talks to the developers about their projects before they get to P&Z.

He has way too much say in what gets developed in Coventry.

Coventry-ite wrote:

And Joe, you live in Berlin so mind your own business.

You can't tell were somebody lives by the address that shows here - that is the address of their ISP (Internet Service Provider), not where they live.

Jeb62 wrote:

<quoted text>
No, actually it's time for a new Town Planner. He's the one who advises the P&Z and talks to the developers about their projects before they get to P&Z.
He has way too much say in what gets developed in Coventry.

The town planner is a hand picked crony of the town manager to whom he reports. There has never been even one instance where the town planner has gone against the will of his boss the town manager. I asked our planner why he wasn't following a particular regulation and he told me the manager didn't make him.

Joe wrote:

The store will help build the commercial tax base which is what this town needs. The PZC and some residents are complaining about the building. It will be a much better fit for the area than the metal garage eye sore that was built on the Loomis House property next to Highland Park Market.

That red metal eyesore is one reason that I have no confidence that current historical,pastoral and tasteful aspects of Coventry will remain. It is currently used to house trail bikes that chew up the landscape and cause lots of noise pollution. This is improvement?

Who wrote:

<quoted text>
I agree, but will we ever know who votes for it or not?

A few P&Z meetings ago, one new member (and a Open Space candidate) announced from the platform that she intends to vote FOR the special permit.I thought that was in poor taste to declare publically before the hearings were even closed.

Sad that one of the open space candidates is in support of granting special permits that will continue to change the character of Coventry in a negative way.

And sad that anyone thinks that our Town Planner does what the Town Mgr says. Our Town Planner has his own agenda for Coventry and it is cluster subdivisions and lots of development.

Jeb62 wrote:

Sad that one of the open space candidates is in support of granting special permits that will continue to change the character of Coventry in a negative way.
And sad that anyone thinks that our Town Planner does what the Town Mgr says. Our Town Planner has his own agenda for Coventry and it is cluster subdivisions and lots of development.

Am I mistaken that the town planner works for the town manager? Am I also mistaken that the town manager is responsible for economic development? Maybe you need to read the town charter and get your facts straight. The town manager has the power to insert himself into ANY situation according to the way the charter is written.

Your points about the charter are correct.

However, our current town planner is pro-development, and has somehow convinced P&Z and town manager that legally we have no other choices.