Zoning works like a party clown’s balloon. The balloon is filled with the air of economic development pressure that comes from population, per capita income and consumer demand. Zoning is like the clown’s fist squeezing the balloon and restricting where the air can go. The air does not disappear; it puts additional pressure on the areas where there are no restrictions and forces them to expand. That is what we have seen because of Overlay District.
Twenty-eight years ago, without any studies or actual community process, the town passed a series of restrictions onto the French King Highway called a “corridor overlay.” Those restrictions set extremely high standards for any business and completely prohibited fast-food restaurants, drive-thru restaurants, takeout restaurants and gas stations. The clown squeezed the balloon along the French King Highway. Over the last 28 years, the result has been increased development along Federal Street and near the Rotary, where the balloon is not being squeezed. Along the rotary since that time, we have seen the development of BJs, the Hampton Inn, Taco Bell, Applebee’s, 99, Home Depot, and expanded Big Y. Along Federal Street we have seen Walgreens, two new Dunkin Donuts, AutoZone, Goodies, RMP Hair & Co. and major expansion at Cumberland Farms, Domino’s, Aubuchon Hardware, the Honda dealership and banking institutions.
The number one complaint on residential streets east and west of Federal Street has been the volume, speed and nature of traffic using the side streets to avoid lights and traffic. Along Interstate 91 & Route 2, there is signage specifically encouraging travelers to get off on Federal Street to gain access to both gas and food. If you are like me when you travel and are running low for fuel for either your car or yourself, you look for those signs. More modern travelers may use a GPS or cellphone. The result is the same: You get off either at exit 26 or 27 for gas and food. If Greenfield is not your final destination, it is very unlikely that you will explore downtown, more so if you are in a hurry. Most weary travelers are looking to get gassed up grab a quick bite and get on to wherever they are going.
While a majority of the traffic on Federal Street is not passing travelers a significant portion is. No surprise, there are five locations to get gas off Federal Street. Additionally there are Subway, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Goodies, Denny’s Pantry, Dominos, Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters, and until recently, Burger King. It is the perfect place for an out-of-the-area traveler to stop. The problem is that all that all of that traveler traffic congests Federal Street and pushes locals who know Greenfield down the side streets. And now with GPS, sometimes heavy tractor-trailers are diverted down side streets as well.
So, how do we reduce this traffic? One way is to give these travelers a more attractive option in another location. That is what the rezoning of the French King Highway will do. We already know that there was a desire to place a gas station there when Stop & Shop inquired. If we allow other fast-food up there as well — maybe a Chipolte or Sonic or Boston Marke — travelers not looking for what is currently on Federal Street would be diverted to the French King Highway relieving congestion.
It gets better. This presents an opportunity for other non-fast-food development. Almost every restaurant now has takeout service, which is not currently allowed on the French King Highway. A rezoning would allow the development of non-fast food restaurants like Outback, Long Horn, Texas Roadhouse, Olive Garden and Red Lobster. Even local and regional restaurants like the Smithsonian have substantial takeout operations. We have no idea of what will come, but we know that without the rezoning nothing can come.
Takeout and fast food are also a substantial part of the big box department store business today. When was the last time that you were in a Wal-Mart that did not have a Subway or a Target that did not have pizza, hot dog and nacho take out or perhaps Starbucks? Passing this rezoning will make it easier for Ceruzzi to market the big box development on the Mackin sandpit, whenever the litigation is finally complete.
If you want a discount department store in Greenfield, this is the best step the town can proactively take to make that happen.
It has been suggested that this is the last green entryway into Greenfield. That is total nonsense. Not only is Interstate 91 green from Bernardston to Deerfield, but Routes 5 and 10 south from Bernardston is completely bucolic filled with farms, meadows and quaint New England homes. The entry from Colrain to Greenfield along Green River Road is similar in nature. Take a left after the General Pierce Bridge from Montague and you will have a totally green path past Poet’s Seat Tower down to High Street. From Deerfield north on 5 and 10, you enter the town to the sight of the rolling pastures of the Meadows golf course and come up to beautiful street-scaping and our new dog park.
Over 75 percent of Greenfield’s nearly 14,000 acres is green space. Only about 600 acres or less than 0.5 percent of land in Greenfield is zoned commercial. One-third of that is covered by the Overlay District.
The French King Highway, itself, is peppered with blighted commercial and residential property; good local businesses that struggle because of a lack of traffic. Increased development will help these businesses grow, become more prosperous and, in turn, improve their properties. Improved properties and new development will generate a tremendous amount of new property and meals tax revenue for the town. As Greenfield struggles to have adequate resources to provide quality services, new revenue reduces the need to increase taxes on existing property owners. The jobs generated will also be a great benefit to those looking for work.
The time for change has come.
Isaac Mass is the vice president of the Greenfield Town Council. He is currently serving in his sixth term. He has also served on the Greenfield Planning Board and the Open Space and Recreation Planning Committee. Mass was the attorney for Citizen’s For Growth for their amicus brief in the legal appeal of the Planning Board’s decision to allow the construction of a discount department store on French King Highway.