According to the local postmaster in the small town of Walpole, NH, representatives of Wal-Mart posted a petition in front of the post office calling for residents to sign in support of rezoning land currently listed as rural-agricultural, to commercial. The rezoning would affect 13 acres of land in Walpole, part of a larger 60 acre parcel of cornfield that Wal-Mart wants. The proposal in Walpole is reminiscent of the company’s attempts to build a superstore in nearby Keene, NH — also on 64 acres of cornfield — which has been mired in litigation since 1993. In the case of Walpole, local officials could not confirm that Wal-Mart was the interested party, but the town’s postmaster told the Keene Sentinel that the two people pushing the petition identified themselves as attorneys associated with Wal-Mart. If the land is not rezoned, Wal-Mart cannot build on the location, because the agricultural zone only allows commercial usage 250 feet deep into the property from the frontage off Route 12. Any zoning change for this land must be made at Town Meeting in this community of roughly 3,000 people. That means a “WAL-poll” of voters will be taken, possibly as soon as March, to see if residents want to approve a rezoning to allow a Wal-Mart to asphalt over the acreage. The newspaper claims that Walpole Selectman Charles Miller “thinks the buck will stop right there.” Miller told the paper: “I have enough faith in the town to know the vote will express the town’s wishes.” The land in question not only has some zoning barriers, but also has some access problems to Route 12, and some underground water supply issues.
The conversion of open space agricultural land to high intensity commercial use would seem to be the kiss of death in a small town like Walpole, but Wal-Mart is sure to try and spend lots of money to impact the outcome of a Town Meeting vote in this community, as they have done elsewhere. Big box retailers will buy ads in the local paper, send first class mailings, conduct telephone “surveys”, etc. to try and win over reluctant voters. But citizen opposition to the project is already forming, and as Selectman Miller says: “I have enough faith in the town” to expect Wal-Mart will get a real run for its money in Walpole. For further details, email Sprawl-Busters at [email protected].
