A large upscale outlet mall or an industrial park.
That's the question facing Merrimack residents.
The town is struggling over an issue that could have far reaching effects over the future of the southern New Hampshire town.
Developers say the shopping area would create new jobs and tax revenue.
But nearby landowners say it will only bring in noise and traffic jams.
NHPR Correspondent Avishay Artsy has more.
The debate over a proposed outlet mall in Merrimack has divided the town into several factions.
Many of those who live in the southern part of town don't want a shopping outlet in their backyard.
Carl Bunis has lived next door to the proposed site for the past six years.
“I think my property value will go down, I think there’ll be trash blowing into my yard, I think it’ll take me twice as long to get home. I got two young kids, I don’t need the crime, I don’t need the teenage hangout. I don’t want that type of thing where I’m living.”
But some who live in the northern part of town like the idea.
Twenty-three year old Bridgidd Smarr has just inherited her grandmother’s cottage, and she says she needs some tax relief… and a new place to shop.
“You can’t even buy a pair of socks in Merrimack, you know what I mean? To have Gucci, Saks Fifth Avenue, not to mention there’s Kenneth Cole, there’s going to be so much opportunity for jobs. It’s gonna draw people here, it’s gonna enhance the quality of life for people who are here.”
The town’s planning board has already held three public hearings on the issue in the past year.
They’ve scheduled a final one for February 8th.
At that point they’ll decide whether to ask voters in April whether the land should remain zoned for industrial use only.
Nashua resident Thomas Monahan owns the 170 acres of undeveloped land.
It lies off Continental Boulevard near Exit 10 of the Everett Turnpike.
It’s the third year in a row he’s tried to get the measure on the ballot.
This year he’s working with a new developer, Chelsea Property Group.
They’ve proposed building 130 high-end factory outlet stores on the land.
Mark Silvestri is the company's senior director of development and acquisitions.
He says they’re not trying to sell the idea of a shopping outlet yet.
They first want to see the zoning change put on the town ballot.
“All we’re asking is for the chance to get in front of the greater town population, a town meeting, and for them to vote on it.”
Abutting homeowners succeeded in defeating similar proposals the last two years.
This year, to make the proposition more attractive, Chelsea Property Group has cut in half the amount of land it hopes to build on.
But Merrimack selectman Dave McCray says that reduction won't be enough.
“There’s no question it’s smaller. It’s still huge, but when you get down to it, last year was a million plus, this year is 500,000. It’s half the size, but the size is, you know, elephant, hippopotamus; they’re both damn big. And this is big.”
In fact, the proposed outlet mall would be between two and three times the size of the Tanger Outler Mall in Tilton, or about the same size as the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester.
The proposed ballot measure would leave the land zoned for industrial use, but will add a conditional use permit.
That means the Planning Board would have to consider only those proposals that fit tight guidelines.
For example, no “big-box” stores, like Home Depot or Wal-Mart, would be allowed.
And those restrictions have helped sell the idea to some town residents.
But many are still not convinced.
George Mitsch moved to Merrimack two years ago with his family.
He says he spent his life savings on a house that sits next to the land in question.
And he believes that if the town agrees to build a shopping outlet, his property would lose value and he would lose his investment.
He wants the town to keep the land zoned the way it is.
“It needs to bring in those companies that would do light manufacturing, that would bring in jobs, hopefully some high-tech jobs, or some decent office space. ”
Business owners, such as Sam Tamposi, say that’s wishful thinking.
“The economy, in particular for the manufacturing uses throughout New Hampshire as well as all of New England, is severely, severely down and depressed. We have vacancy rates that are at the same levels as we were in the 1990 era, which was just abysmal.”
And that's an argument repeated by Chelsea Property Group.
They’d like Merrimack residents to quit digging in their heels and agree to build the outlet mall.
They say the development could bring in 1.4 million dollars in annual tax revenue….not to mention tourist dollars.
Town officials say they’ll hold off on a study on the tax impact of a mall unless the zoning change goes through.
Both sides hope to gather enough information in the next few weeks to sway the Planning Board’s decision next month.
For NHPR News, this is Avishay Artsy.
