SaveOurSimsbury.org

Big Box development brings with it a variety of problems. Save Our Simsbury.org believes that this type of development is undesirable anywhere in Simsbury except where it already exists along Rt. 44. Why is Big Box undesirable? Here are the answers in abbreviated form:

-A Big Box store will increase traffic along Rt. 10 by about 40%. There are no current plans to expand Rt. 10 to 4 lanes but this increase in traffic could change that.

-Konover’s drawing submitted to the State in 10/06 shows nearly one million sq ft of development planned for the CL&P parcel.

-The average taxpayer will get very little tax relief from a Big Box development. What small benefit there is would be eroded by expenses to Simsbury and not worth the traffic, devaluation of homes, and erosion of Simsbury's character.

-Big Box tends to spread in areas where it is introduced.

-Big Box, according to our economist consultants, is the “weakest form of economic development” Other types of development (such as office) generate higher taxes, much less traffic and do not have as drastic an impact on the character of the Town. Consider The Hartford as an example of appropriate development.

-Big Box stores tend to be abandoned at an alarming rate and can be vacant for years.

-Big Box tends to degrade in their use over time; often turning into Ocean State Job Lot kinds of stores in time

-Big Box Stores generate more police calls than other types of development. The new Shoppes At Farmington Valley in Canton had 688 Police calls between 4/04 and 4/05. The mall was smaller then. Half of those calls were for larcenies, bad checks, accidents, car lockouts, shop lifting and assorted other crimes. You will pay for this extra police activity in your taxes.

-Big Box stores create the most intense competition with local businesses often ruining town centers like Simsbury’s

-A much smaller percentage of sales from chain stores stays in the community as compared to sales from locally owned businesses.

-Simsbury will become a very different place with 2 town centers competing with each other. We believe that our town center should be protected and nurtured rather than destroyed. It would be a shame to waste all the recent effort that has gone into improving the business area in the Simsbury Town Center.