The Town of Buxton is where Hannaford Bros. Co. has proposed a “..retail shopping center (quoted from Planning Board agenda).” Some residents may desire this type of commercial development in our town, mostly for convenience. Convenience is super in today’s bustling world, however there is undoubtedly a real cost for it.
The first question I want you all to consider is: Is the value of a retail shopping center in our town more important than a 15-minute ride to any of three Hannaford stores in our area? It takes 15 minutes or less to be in Standish, Gorham or Waterboro depending on your actual location in town. In fact, some folks will still have a 15-minute ride to a Buxton store.
Let’s consider the impact this center will have on the local economy. In particular, our tax base. If the project results in a $20 million facility, the taxes generated, if they retain the same mil rate and do not get any “deals,” are about 2 percent of the town’s overall tax commitment. It is likely that the increase to our commitment will be eaten up by increased town needs such as: new patrol officers, including a cruiser, equipment, salary and benefits; increased training for our firefighters and probably equipment; an increased highway department crew for road maintenance needs and
increased administration needs, including code enforcement and tax services.
Don’t believe your taxes will decrease with commercial development. In fact, a revaluation looms ahead and we all know the historical results of such.
Hannaford claims there will be 100 new jobs generated by their complex. I wonder how many of those jobs will go to Buxton residents? It would be super if there were some way to provide a quota of jobs for our youth close to home, but I am not confident that Hannaford could do that even if they wanted to.
Let’s consider the environment and pollution generated by the complex. Hannaford will be pumping their waste through pipes under routes 202 and 4 to a large septic system. This is necessary because they are building on bedrock. The area of disposal is definitely “wet” many times during the year. It was pretty clear to me when the Hannaford executives presented to the Planning Board they had never walked the terrain. What impact will there be on our wells?
Other obvious forms of pollution will be light, noise and trash. Do we really want to hear the refrigeration compressors and have our starry night sky illuminated? Who will be responsible for the trash generated by litterbugs? Hannaford has shown us aerial photos during the summer months depicting a buffer along the perimeter. Just drive down Pennell Road and you will see that the fauna is at 30 feet plus. A natural buffer is unrealistic. The natural landscape of this area will forever be destroyed.
Let’s consider our loyal area businesses such as florists, markets and especially the farmers. Are these current tax paying, hard working entrepreneurs going to be able to stay in business successfully? Do we want to put our local folks out of business by shopping at an international corporate enterprise (Delhaize)?
Let’s consider what we really want for our future. We all dread going into or through Gorham Center and the daily traffic quagmire. The plaza in Standish was set back and somewhat out of sight. Now the trees are gone and a 15-pump gas station is under construction. Bridgton is fighting over-expansion. Other towns are implementing building size reductions to keep commercial progress in check. What will follow Hannaford in Buxton? A Dunkin’ Donuts? A Taco Bell? A mega-gas station? The list is endless!
My wife and I moved to Buxton for the quality of life here. This is a rural township of neighbors, becoming a bedroom community. That is all well and good. Outpacing ourselves could come around to nip us from behind. Once started, we can’t look back. It’s commonly known that Hannaford is a great neighbor and a part of communities they are located in, but I do not think we need them yet.
Let’s not let the price of all the conveniences we are moving away from, interfere with the real value of life in Buxton! Some on our Planning Board and Selectmen have expressed publicly the development could be “rubber-stamped!” If you do not want to see an increase in traffic, increased pollution, increased taxes, a loss of natural landscape, a potential loss of friends and neighbors, speak out to our planning board and the board of selectmen. After all, you are their constituents.
David M. Anderson
Buxton
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