After two pubic hearings before the Greenfield Town Council, a total of only four people testified in favor of a zoning plan to gut the French King “attractive entryway” overlay district.
The question now is: why is one town councilor trying to keep this plan on life support — even though he doesn’t have the votes to pass it? Whose bidding is he doing?
Why would one councilor get worked up over more gas stations? The answer may be simple: The Connecticut developer who wants to build what I say is a Wal-Mart, would make more profit on the parcel if a gas station could be added to the deal.
The developer has never publicly said he wants a gas station — but what is going on behind the scenes? Wal-Mart often seeks gas stations whenever zoning codes allow it. Are they the “invisible hand” pushing to destroy the French King overlay?
This debate has never been about “making it easier for Wal-Mart to build.” It’s about land profits. And who is really driving this debate? Town Councilor Isaac Mass has written that big box stores want gas stations. Let’s take that at face value. Why, then, are the major landowners on the French King saying nothing? Are they content to let Mr. Mass be the front man? The big box landowners are the ones who stand to make money by killing the overlay.
This lack of transparency has upset the public. We sense that the motivation here is squeezing more profit from the Wal-Mart parcel.
It would be helpful if Mr. Mass revealed who is pushing this gas station agenda. And if there is no one but himself on this campaign, then it is time to listen to the people and shut it down.
Al Norman
Greenfield