|
Why are large, mass-market, big-box retailers a problem?
Communities with big-box stores are unattractive to entrepreneurs, skilled workers, and progressive companies. Towns that preserve their hometown businesses and distinctive character have an economic edge.
Across the country, the arrival of predatory chain retailers has negatively affected employment and quality of life. Some of the consequences include:
- small-business closures and resulting unemployment
- lost tax revenues and increased costs for road and sewer maintenance and increased police, fire and other public services needed to support growing traffic and sprawl
- unsightly architecture and loss of community character
- urban sprawl, which leads to traffic congestion and wildlife habitat loss
- air and water pollution, including polluted run-off from large parking lots
Bottom line: National retail chain stores have already contributed to the growing sprawl, environmental damage, and general "uglyfication" of our neighboring communities. This is a direction that we do not want to encourage in our community, if we can help it. And we can. We have a choice.
Don't big chain stores increase the local tax base?
Big-box retailers actually COST towns and taxpayers more than they produce in tax revenue.
According to a fiscal impact study done in Barnstable, Massachusetts, big box stores generate a net annual municipal deficit of $468 per 1,000 square
feet compared to a net surplus of $326 for Main Street businesses.
Tax revenues from national retail sprawl stores are cancelled out by tax revenues lost from hometown stores that lose sales or are forced to close. Meanwhile, small businesses contribute more tax revenue than they cost to service, generating extra funds for schools, parks and other community functions.
As hometown businesses fail, declines in home values and commercial property values further cut into tax revenues for the town. Large chain stores burden municipal budgets with increased road and sewer maintenance and increased police, fire and other public services needed to support growing traffic and sprawl.
Continued big-box growth on the outskirts of town squanders taxpayer dollars and private funds already invested in revitalizing downtown Hudson.
Bottom line: We urge community leaders to stand firm against shortsighted development that sabotages the community's future. Support prosperity and smart development in the Hudson area by supporting locally owned, hometown businesses.
Why does this developer need an exception to our zoning law?
Because the Promenade complex is completely contrary to every standard Hudson has set for itself in the past 150 years. It is contrary to the Comprehensive Plan. Contrary to the zoning laws written and approved by our community leaders. And, contrary to the very character and long-standing tradition that is Hudson. The developer is trying to single-handedly circumvent our zoning laws.
Just how big will the Promenade Retail Complex be?
The proposed retail complex is the size of more than THREE typical Wal-Mart stores, dramatically exceeding our carefully prepared zoning laws. Under the newly revised Comprehensive Plan, a 10,000 square foot building is authorized. The Promenade is proposing buildings of up to 50,000 square feet!
*The largest proposed Promenade store is larger than a football field. It is also as large as almost all of the stores on Main Street combined!
How big will the parking lot be for this complex?
The asphalt for parking will stretch beyond 20 acres! There will be more than 5 miles of parked cars at this retail complex.
Why is this developer circumventing our process?
The developers know that our elected officials would never approve their zoning exception. Duty-bound, they would hold the Promenade to the same standards of all other Hudson projects and require that it meet the scrutiny of residents, City Council, Zoning Commission, and Architectural Review Board. A public vote is a side step. It is a way of leaping over our strict standards and circumventing and insulting our elected officials - and you.
What type of development offers the most tax benefit?
The current zoning at Norton Road for specialty retail, light commercial and office space would deliver more tax benefit than the developers plan. According to the study mentioned above, here is the hierarchy of best tax sources per 1,000 square feet:
The above chart is taken from the Land Use Fiscal Analysis Study from Barnstable, Massachusetts due to the similarities between the New England qualities and populations of Hudson and Barnstable.
Closer to home, the City of Stow completed an exhaustive Comprehensive Plan that similarly noted the high service costs of retail developments in our neighboring city.
Are there other concerns?
Yes!
Large, mass-market retail ruins the landscape.
Buildings depreciate over time.
Most jobs are minimum wage.
Bad Checks.
Shoplifting.
Parking Lot Accidents.
The town of Gainesville, NC added a mall and many big box stores only to find that the new stores generate so many police calls for bad checks, shoplifting and parking lot accidents, that they consume all of the revenue they produce. The town recently raised property tax rates and, desperate to control rising costs, blocked further big box construction.
Locally, when the Market Place at Four Corners in BainbridgeTownship opened, the police department showed an increase of 292 calls in the first 9 months!
What type of stores are they proposing? Won't this be something NEW for our area?
Many of the stores proposed are already located within a 12-mile radius of the center of Hudson. Depending on where you live, many of these stores are within 10 miles of your front door. Building yet another strip plaza, no matter how well packaged, will add no new shopping opportunity to our area. It will displace dollars from one site and challenge the individually unique retailers currently operating in Hudson.
Consider the following map. These are the same national stores being discussed by the developers.
What can I do?
First and foremost, support our hometown by shopping at local businesses especially our local
office supply store, book shop, specialty sports stores, and restaurants. These merchants compete fairly for our business, and they re-invest much of what they earn into the local community.
If you wish to become more active, there are several options:
- Urge elected leaders and city officials to adopt policies that discourage sprawl and continued box-store growth, while encouraging a vibrant small business community and planning proactively for a healthy economy and high quality of life.
- Make a financial contribution to Smart Growth Hudson. Smart Growth Hudson finances its community-education campaign through the generosity of Hudson residents who are concerned about the future of our community. (Make checks out to "Smart Growth Hudson" and mail to Smart Growth Hudson, P.O. Box 1093, Hudson,
OH 44236.)
| 
