Would it be possible for this matter to get any more obsurd than it is? Are there no "Roberts Rules of Order" that could possibly apply? We need to remember who is suppose to be in charge. Yada, Yada, Yada!

The point about the "small town feel" should have been considered by the town planning or zoning boards BEFORE they approved the Stop & Shop/Boulder Run plan. The town planners are responsible for this mess. They knew about the entire commercial zone redevelopment opportunity and could have guided the commercial interests in a responsible way to maximize tax revenue. The town should have known that 200,000+ square feet of supermarkets(much more than the 5 small markets of the past) space was not the highest and best use for the town. A mixed-use development with walkable space, shops, restaurants, some housing (affordable to comply), in an attractive plan would have enhanced the center of town - and property values - thus raising tax revenue all around. You can't blame the Hekemian/Stop & Shop team for their fight - our boards could have anticipated this challenge if they truly planned. We may all prefer Shop Rite (I do), but there is plenty of supermarket competition within a reasonable distance without creating crushing traffic jams in town - to the detriment of daily life of residents. Who is paying attention???

For as long as I can remember, the abandoned A & P property was an eye sore for all to see. Our town committee is finally doing something to rectify this with this new store planned addition. I for one approve this especially if the added rateables received lower my taxes.
Guy Cappello

No one is paying attention. Still. So much for the grandiose talk and promises made by the recent crop of elected officials in town. The folks that are, or should be, minding the (mega)store neglected remedying the master plan. To Guy Cappello's comment, you are naive to the likely outcomes of developing the A&P site. Either: 1) the demographics of this area can't support another supermarket -- the retail oversaturation will likely cause either Stop n Shop or Shop Rite to fail. Then we're left with a bigger, albeit more "up to date" eyesore; or, 2) the area does in fact support another gigantic supermarket, which requires a constant, community-wrecking stream of traffic and overwhelming of the streets and intersections of the town. It's probably in the town's best interest -- to avoid the worst case outcomes -- that we avoid the failure of a large anchor tenant (which Stop n Shop is in Boulder Run).

Has any one considered building Shop Rite and making Greenwood Avenue a one-way street from West to East? The Roman Catholic Church could reverse their exit to entrance and their entrance to exit; there be only a left-hand turn exiting the post office; and right-hand exits for buildings on the south side of Greenwood. Then, when the end of Greenwood reaches Godwin, left side traffic only turn left, right side traffic only turn right onto Godwin. Please allow Shop Rite to build. This is the majority desire of the people you serve. Stop and Shop will continue this nonsense forever. Who's in charge? The Council or Stop and Shop? We need Shop Rite.