This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.

Character Must Remain Unique

We write to express our alarm at the obvious lack of preparation exhibited by members of the Planing & Zoning Commission (PZC) in their final public discussion of U-Haul’s application for a special permit.

Town Planner George Kral appeared to show the “Planning and Design Guidelines for Route 1 East, Boston Post Road” to the commission for the first time at its last meeting before voting on June 6. Clearly most of the commissioners had never read the document, which opens with this statement: “The character of the Boston Post Road must remain unique and protected from the pressures of strip mall developments, over-scaled structures, and excessive car-oriented frontages for the benefit of the town, its residents, and the economy as well.”

The guidelines are also clear about balancing the need for economic development with the preservation of the town’s unique character, emphasizing the importance of adequate screening, protection of rural areas nearby, limiting light pollution, and conforming to the locale. At all times, the plan emphasizes the need to avoid negative impact on our citizenry.

UHaul’s proposal fails on every count.

As Chair Philip Johnson noted, the entire purpose of U-Haul’s project is display: the height, size, and siting of the building; the 24/7 interior illumination of numerous orange doors; and the trucks—UHaul’s primary form of advertising—are all calculated to have the greatest visual impact over the greatest distance possible, including the beautiful old farm on Tanner Marsh Road, a neighborhood neglected thus far in PZC’s deliberations.

We listened with disbelief as it was noted that UHaul’s current use of the site is non-conforming and has been for some time. Why has the town failed to enforce zoning regulations? And why would the town reward this flouting of codes by granting U-Haul a special permit?

Patricia Klindienst

Louis Mackall

Guilford