GREENFIELD — Neighbors fighting a planned big box development along the French King Highway have started an online fundraising campaign to raise $15,000 needed for legal expenses.
Albert Norman, the Greenfield man who is known nationally as a “sprawlbuster” consultant against Wal-Mart and other big box developments who has been representing abutters since 2007 when the developer filed plans with the town, said he made a commitment at the very beginning to help the neighbors financially.
“These are folks who don’t have a lot of money to burn,” he said.
Norman declined to disclose how much the abutters’ legal costs have been up to this point, saying he doesn’t want to give Connecticut-based developer Ceruzzi Inc. an advantage, but said all expenses thus far have been paid through donations.
“The funds that we’ve used so far have all come from private donations and some individuals who want to see them have their right to the rural, residential nature of their property,” he said.
The seven abutters are in the process of appealing a decision by the town’s Planning Board to grant a special permit for the construction of the 135,000-square-foot store. The neighbors originally filed the appeal in Housing Court, which did not have jurisdiction over the case, but the Supreme Judicial Court ruled this month that they have the right to request another venue for their appeal — either Land Court or Superior Court.
The campaign is hosted on Generosity by Indiegogo, a free online fundraising platform. Norman said he came up with the $15,000 figure because he wanted to start off with something achievable, but said the neighbors will likely have to raise three or four times that amount to cover the cost of expert witnesses and lawyers.
As of Sunday afternoon, the campaign had raised $590. He’s expecting it to take about three weeks to reach the goal.
“I’m looking for small dollar donations at this point. If someone wants to offer $5 or $500, we’re happy to get their support,” Norman said. “We wanted to give the general public an opportunity to contribute at whatever level they want.”
To visit the fundraising site, go to bit.ly/1TLvEii
You can reach Aviva Luttrell at: aluttrell@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 268 On Twitter follow: @AvivaLuttrell