Speech in favor

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

When the Walpole Master Plan was adopted in 1998, it stated specific objectives to (1) discourage the development of Walpole into a regional economic center, (2) manage the type and intensity of commercial activity along Route 12, and (3) “prevent/minimize sprawl development along Route 12.” It also stated a goal to “preserve the individual character and identity of Walpole's three villages.” So, why is it, then, that the new businesses in town are just formulas with nothing but “standardized” services, menus, merchandise, and architecture reproduced by the thousands everywhere.

Why?  Because right now our zoning rules can’t prevent some guy in corporate from someplace like Chicago or Los Angeles plunking down a cheap flimsy mini-box in our midst to re-brand our town as fastfoodville, or dollarstoreberg, and chuckle about just how much we’re gonna take it here in Walpole.  So, do we want that . . .  or do we want to decide ourselves.  In fact, that’s the reason why since the 1920s our country’s laws have protected zoning, to get local communities the right and ability to determine their surroundings and their lives, for themselves and for their children.  America has never been about passive acceptance of outside people telling its citizens what they will have to put up with, and certainly Walpole historically is a great example of how its citizens have kept the town beautiful and humane over the years notwithstanding many, many, outside attempts to ruin it.

That’s why Walpole is so great.  Because of the action of the folk before us:  Walpoleans before us said we want no highways thru town, no pulp mills, no giant big box stores, so they re-routed 12 outside the village, they stopped the pulp mill, they passed zoning ordinances so Wal-Mart couldn’t squat its huge ugly buildings in our town.  So, are we the generation that is just going to passively let that get thrown away?  Just because those who would destroy Walpole’s unique character have gone small and stealthy, with stores below Walpole’s 40,000 square foot maximum zoning ordinance?   No, I hope not – now that we have another important opportunity to continue that heritage.

Sure, we live in a uniquely beautiful place – and that’s why ugly formula businesses come here – to exploit that.  One misconception is that the uncontrolled growth of formula businesses is good for property values.   There is absolutely no proof of that. In fact, my information tells me the exact opposite is true:  some of the most beautiful places in the country, and likely with the highest property values, have zoning ordinances controlling formula businesses to protect and preserve their property values:  towns like York and Ogunquit in Maine, Coronado, Carmel, and Sausalito in California, Nantucket and Provincetown in Massachusetts, Sanibel in Florida, just to name a famous few.  

So another misconception should be squarely addressed – that formula business zoning is somehow new or unproven or something just dreamed up in Walpole.  Well, go to PreserveWalpole.org and you can find a list of towns across the country that have formula business restrictions of one sort or another.  This type of zoning has already been litigated in Federal court, it’s widespread, it’s ACCEPTED.  And that’s the reason why Walpole’s Town Attorney, Jeremy Hockensmith, has advised the Selectboard, after carefully reviewing the proposed ordinance, he could find nothing, nothing, illegal or defective in the proposal as written.  You can find a copy of the letter with Mr. Hockensmith’s conclusion at PreserveWalpole.org.

And there’s another important aspect of this proposal that’s not fully understood, I think.  The proposal does not ban all formula businesses.  In fact, it expressly permits up to 12 formula businesses, about the number we have now.  And moreover, importantly, it further permits any and all post offices, places of worship, schools, government facilities, banks, gasoline fueling stations, professional offices, and health care facilities.   These latter businesses are wonderful, stable, businesses that will not negatively impact the character of our Town and will bring many high paying jobs and more tax revenue to Walpole than minimum wage, temporary-job formula taco stands.  So the proposal is not a ban, it’s a choice of what we want our community to be like.

Last point: urgency.  I’ve heard that maybe the proposal should be deferred for “more study” or that it should be re-written somehow, or somehow in some way for some reason not adopted, not because it’s bad, but because maybe it should be limited to the village, or something, and not Route 12 . . . or whatever -- out of some idea that Walpole has lots of time to act.  

Well, let’s face it -- we’re basically out of time.  Dunkin Donuts isn’t going to wait around for “whenever.”  Actually, as we know, Dunkin Donuts is at the door now, banging hard to be let in to plunk down a horror on Route 12.  And hard behind them, is, who knows – McDonald’s? Taco Bell?  KFC?  Dollar Tree.  And why not?  In the last few years already piled in have been Dollar General, Family Dollar, Tractor Supply, Subway, Dunkin Donuts . . . .  It’s wrong to suggest that Route 12 is so built up already that no more will come; in fact, it’s evident as you drive thru formula business blighted areas around the country that one horror brings another, and then many more formula businesses swarm in as a “drive thru, automobile dominant,” landscape takes shape.  

And by the way, did you know that the Walpole village has exactly the same commercial zoning as Route 12?  To say that we don’t need this ordinance because all this horrible building will happen over there, over there on Route 12, is utterly untrue.  It’s a weird, misdirection that will end in tragedy when the first building in our beautiful, unique village is torn down to make room for a formula business.  We will have left ourselves utterly VULNERABLE and HELPLESS to prevent it – if we don’t adopt the proposed ordinance now.

For 25 years Walpole’s Master Plan for Land Use has sought to “prevent/minimize sprawl development along Route 12” and “preserve the individual character and identity of Walpole's three villages.”    And happily, we are gathered here tonight, and everything is all set and prepared --  to continue to achieve those wonderful things.  So, please, let’s just get this amendment to the ordinance in place as soon as possible to accomplish that – and whew – just in time before the current situation becomes a zoning disaster.  Let’s not permit this possibility of success -- which is in our grasp -- now get bobbled, re-considered, deferred, and ultimately, of course, denied.  No. Let’s act NOW.  Tonight.  Let’s get this done -- to preserve Walpole.  I respectfully ask the Planning Board to recommend the adoption of the proposed amendment.