On the face, this appears to be a good idea, as the Knights of Columbus property is awful. Both the building and land are unkempt and falling apart. The property is a real waste and basically an empty lot/abandoned building. Having a nice, new building constructed here would be pleasant. Yet, there are more issues that go into the discussion.
The Knights of Columbus location is just outside the 3rd Precinct. As a resident of the 3rd, I frequent the nearby CVS and surrounding roads. I know the area very well. The construction of this building will have an impact on my travel.
However, there are three questions that should be considered when discussing this building. One, do we need another liquor store in the area, and should this opinion have an impact on construction. Two, what impact on traffic in the already poorly regulated area will the construction have. Three, should the nearby location of the Barnstable Middle School have an impact?
Please click on the picture at the bottom of this post to see a picture of the area this building would go...
ONE: Do We Need Another Liquor Store in the Area?
The first real question is should government be able to mandate whether a kind of business can be built... In general, I oppose government placing itself in matters of building/housing construction and renovation/additions. However, in this case, because the town has the right to limit liquor permits, there should be discussion on whether or not we should give the permitting.
If you look at the map at the bottom of the page, (click on it to expand) you will see that there are two liquor stores (Barnstable Bottle Shoppe & Cape Cod Package Store) within a mile of the proposed Blanchard's. If you were to look further to the right on that map towards Downtown Hyannis, you would see even more liquor/package stores. Clearly, there already is a significant amount of competition for Blanchard's in this area.
My main concern with this competition, is to ensure that we are not left with an empty undesirable 9600 sq ft building on Rt. 28. With the amount of competition already in the area, it would not be surprising to see either Blanchard's go out of business or one or both of the smaller stores in the area to fold. If Blanchard's were to be forced to close in 5 years, what will happen to the building?
I think should be some discussion on how feasible Blanchard's thinks this location is, how the other stores think this will affect their business, and is it REALLY necessary to have a third licensed and permitted liquor store in this very small area.
TWO: Traffic Impact
The Strawberry Hill Road/Rt. 28 Intersection is already a traffic headache. There is a "smart" light at the intersection, but it is poorly programmed and can cause cars to wait for minutes on Strawberry Hill Road when there is no traffic (I mean no cars at all) on Rt. 28. Also, there is considerable left-turn traffic in all 4 lanes, but no turn signals - just solid lights.
Adding the additional traffic from a new liquor store will only complicate matters at this busy and dangerous intersection.
However, perhaps we could use the addition of this store to put in new smarter (better programmed) lights with turn signals and/or a median strip from the beginning of store property right until the light. The newer lights have not been discussed, but a median strip has. A median strip would eliminate the possibility of drivers trying to cut from one side of Rt. 28 to the other to get to Blanchard's and CVS. Yet, this solution causes the problem of drivers who want to go back towards the Mall on 28 taking matters into their own hands with u-turns at the intersection or going down to the 7-11 to turn around in their lot, etc... So even a median strip has its issues.
However, the issue seems moot because developer is refusing the cost. We could try to force the issue, but who knows what could happen. The developer is instead proposing curb cuts, like the Olive Garden and the Rt. 28 entrance to Christmas Tree Shops, that are designed to funnel traffic forcing only right-hand turns in and out of the property and deterring left-hand turns in and out. At the Olive Garden which is located AT a very busy 5-lane wide intersection, this works, partially because of their rear entrance. However, at the Christmas Tree Shops and other location with a similar curb cut and less traffic (Rt. 132 McDonald's) these curb cuts DO NOT work, even though they have alternate entrances. I know that I am not the only person to ignore similar curb cuts & "No left turn" signs so that I can still take lefts.
Even if this were to work, we still have the same issues of a median strip and people wanting to head back towards the Mall. They are not going to take a right at the light and go backroads to 132. They are not going to take a left at the light to go to West Main and head back to Hyannis that way. They're going to be pulling U-turns and turning around the first place they can. We haven't even addressed the issues of people coming from Centerville (heading towards Hyannis) on Rt. 28 who want to go to Blanchard's. They are either going to cut across traffic and go around the curb cut to get in (most likely) or they're going to go to the first place they can after the store to turn around - so the apartment complexes, roads, and the middle school in the area are going to be filled with people turning around, etc. (plausible)... Not a pretty idea...
Obviously, there are some serious traffic issues here that haven't been addressed, and I don't know if they can be solved. This is a big issue.
THREE: Stop This For "The Children"?
Enough already. I am tired or every little thing that we do in America is justified as being "for the children". Do we need to protect them? Yes. Should we ignore them simply because they cannot vote? No. Are they a priority in many people's lives? Yes. Should they be brought up to justify every decision we make? NO!
Some opposition to this store is being made because of its proximity to the Barnstable Middle School and (to a lesser extent) Barnstable High. The School Committee voted unanimously against a liquor store so close to the schools, even thought they have no legitimate say in the matter. This does bring up the question of would the liquor store this close to those schools be an issue with "the children".
First, if you take a look at the map again, note the location and distance from the entrance to the Middle School to the proposed Blanchard's site and compare it with the distance from the HIGH SCHOOL entrance and Barnstable Bottle Shoppe. From my calculations, the High School is already closer to another liquor store. The Cape Cod Package Store is not much further from the High School than Blanchard's would be. Yes, there's another liquor store in the area, but they already have two. If you're worried about the stores not IDing kids, the stores should already being regularly checked by the police (undercover, etc...) f9r ID compliance. Adding another store should not be an issue for high schoolers' access to alcohol. As a matter of fact, by moving Blanchard's away from the MALL (High Schooler hangout),, they may be reducing the chances of high schoolers tying stupid things with fake ID's.
This leaves the Middle Schoolers. I honestly don't have ANY clue how this liquor store would impact middle schoolers. They can't drive, so they'd have to walk up to the store, and I don't care how good your fake ID is, any liquor store clerk should be able to tell if you're a KID. AND, if they aren't sure, they have the right to refuse to sell the product.
Overall, I see no impact on local children by the addition of this store. If we were that concerned about "the children" then we should be more worried about the current location of Barnstable Bottle Shoppe. They are closer to the high school and basically across the street from the Hyannis West Elementary School (property in green at bottom right of map). We should be more concerned about Elementary School Children and possible access to alcohol - have you seen the fake IDs THOSE kids have - WOW! (Please note the sarcasm...)
In reality, location of alcohol does not matter as much as ease of access does to kids attempting to obtain alcohol. We need to make sure ALL liquor stores in Barnstable and the Barnstable Police are cracking down on fake IDs and people purchasing for minors. That is more important than the location of a single liquor store.
CONCLUSIONS
I have mixed feelings about this project. When I started writing this post, I was on the fence leaning toward allowing the new Blanchard's... Yet, as continued writing and saw all the potential issues, I now am leaning toward NOT allowing this building. As a basic principle, I endorse free and unhindered property development - it's YOUR property. However, this case presents the problem of extensive area competition that could start causing either this property or the sites of the other liquor stores in the area to become exactly what the Kinghts of Columbus is now - empty and unkempt. Also, it seems apparent that without any other entrances to alleviate traffic on Rt. 28 (Which CVS, Olive Garden, Christmas Tree, etc... all have), this construction will severely tax this intersection and area of Rt. 28 and it will clearly make this stretch of road more dangerous. These issues are real and important.
I think that opponents of this project should stop throwing "the children" at us and start throwing the real concerns and issues this project presents to the people of Barnstable. I think that Blanchard's needs to address and solve these problems satisfactorily before anything moves forward. I think that we need to think about this one before rushing forward.
Thanks go to Town Council President Janet Joakim for bringing this issue up on her blog - www.sevenvillagesblog.com.
Map of the area around proposed site of Blanchard's Liquors.
(Click to expand in this browser page or right-click "Open in New Window")
(Note: A post on the Town's handling of the Open Meeting of the Voters petition will be coming soon.)
6 comments:
Adding another liquor store will create too much competition? Who do we think we are to decide such a thing? Isn't the fact that Blanchard's is willing to invest a huge amount of money in a new store there a pretty good indication that there is plenty of room for more competition? Who would know better than them? Certainly not you or I. Competition is good. It lowers prices, and competition is one of things that has made our economy so strong versus other countries where governments keep tight controls on commerce. You are suggesting that the existing liquor stores should be granted a monopoly because they were there first? That no more fair than saying that it's time for the existing stores to leave because it's some one else's turn to operate there.
Precint 3, I want to thank you for your verbal outing of the queen of hatred Taryn Thoman on TJ's blog. It will ultimately be people like yourself that will bring an end to her and her hate campaign. I am delighted to see you up and running with good, constructive, worth wild information. Keep up the good work.
Precinct 3, you bring up so many good points. If you think about it, many existing liquor stores are close to many of the schools in all of the villages. I don't know the exact distance but there is a package store at the lights on 28 near the 2 charter schools.
I don't believe that was ever an issue.
Kids these days are more apt to take over-the-counter drugs, huff Glade and sniff glue which is readily available at a CVS or other convenience stores. Kids can walk to get those and that never gets much press. Liquor purchases are quite strict.
The traffic issue is a big one.
The area does look horrible but so does alot of Hyannis any improvement would be nice. It is a hard decision.
Looking at the view of competition is good, who knew Hyannis needed so many mattress and tire stores? They are still open, for now.
Thank you for your blog.
1) its replacing an existing liquor store
2) towns do grow in population and traffic
3) the children will not be buying liquor from the store. They will be safer walking by an established business, not a drug infested area.
Competition is good. There will be multiple entrances and exits to the stores.
Didn't you take anything into consideration other comments that you should of read before you wrote this redundant material?
-Bradley G. Ouimette
http://imhz.livejournal.com
When I discuss "competition" I am NOT saying that I am against competition. Competition IS good. Current stores should NOT have the right to a monopoly.
I am merely saying that if the town is going to regulate the number of liquor licenses it hands out, then it should be careful about where these stores are located. If the town only allows say 10 such licenses (which is probably the wrong number), then having three stores so close is probably not the best idea...
Bradley, I did read your comments on sevenvillages, and we are not that far apart in our feelings on the topic. We both agree that the current site is a "pit". We agree that this store would have NO negative impact on children. I said that overall I am on the fence against this store right now (which you have said as well).
My main concern is traffic. If Blanchard's can fix my concerns about the traffic then I very well might be in support of the project. I HAVE been doing other research and have seen that perhaps Blanchard's WILL be adding alternate entrances, median strip and light improvements... We'll see if that actually happens...
Also, it appears that some aspects of this store may be discussed at the March 26 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting...
ZBA Notice
For further reading on this project on the town's website:
Town Website Search Results
I guess we should not argue the same point. :)
I will try hard to make that meeting.
-Bradley G. Ouimette
http://imhz.livejournal.com
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