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September 30. 2012 11:46PM
Traffic from planned Rite-Aid concerns Meredith condo residents
MEREDITH — Residents of Meredith Bay Village are concerned about the potential traffic impacts of a planned relocation of the Rite-Aid store.
Meredith Bay Village, a senior condominium complex with 70 units on Route 25 less than a mile from the busy center of town, sits directly across from the Irving/Circle K plaza and from a nearly 3-acre lot proposed for the Rite-Aid store.
At last week’s planning board meeting, several members of Meredith Bay Village expressed worries that the entrance to the condominium complex, which is already difficult to access during busy traffic times, would become harder to enter and leave if Rite-Aid moves across the street.
“As it is now, we only get out of our colony by the grace of someone letting us in the traffic, and even then it’s usually only for a right turn,” said Dean Gulezian, a director of the condominium association. “Volume is only going to increase if you add another business there,” he said.
Rite-Aid has been seeking to move since December. Now located in the Meredith Bay Plaza, the store needs to find a new home because the Hannaford’s supermarket plans to expand, town officials said.
Plans submitted to the town call for a 15,000-square-foot store that would be built on the lot between the plaza and Trinity Episcopal Church. The store had planned to build its own driveway, but in March state transportation officials ruled the new store would have to share its driveway with the stores in the plaza to minimize traffic.
The planning board will consider the concerns of Meredith Bay Village members, said Town Planner Angela LaBrecque.
Gulezian said the complex has been notified that representatives of Rite-Aid want to meet with the condominium owners.
“Rite-Aid seems to be willing to work with us,” he said. “If they can answer our safety concerns, we’ll be all for this.”
The store, which is represented by Newland Development Associates LLC of Hampton, is eager to meet with the condo residents, said Ken Linseman, the company’s president.
Linseman said the store is awaiting permit approvals before finalizing its plans.
dseufert@newstote.com
Meredith Bay Village, a senior condominium complex with 70 units on Route 25 less than a mile from the busy center of town, sits directly across from the Irving/Circle K plaza and from a nearly 3-acre lot proposed for the Rite-Aid store.
At last week’s planning board meeting, several members of Meredith Bay Village expressed worries that the entrance to the condominium complex, which is already difficult to access during busy traffic times, would become harder to enter and leave if Rite-Aid moves across the street.
“As it is now, we only get out of our colony by the grace of someone letting us in the traffic, and even then it’s usually only for a right turn,” said Dean Gulezian, a director of the condominium association. “Volume is only going to increase if you add another business there,” he said.
Rite-Aid has been seeking to move since December. Now located in the Meredith Bay Plaza, the store needs to find a new home because the Hannaford’s supermarket plans to expand, town officials said.
Plans submitted to the town call for a 15,000-square-foot store that would be built on the lot between the plaza and Trinity Episcopal Church. The store had planned to build its own driveway, but in March state transportation officials ruled the new store would have to share its driveway with the stores in the plaza to minimize traffic.
The planning board will consider the concerns of Meredith Bay Village members, said Town Planner Angela LaBrecque.
Gulezian said the complex has been notified that representatives of Rite-Aid want to meet with the condominium owners.
“Rite-Aid seems to be willing to work with us,” he said. “If they can answer our safety concerns, we’ll be all for this.”
The store, which is represented by Newland Development Associates LLC of Hampton, is eager to meet with the condo residents, said Ken Linseman, the company’s president.
Linseman said the store is awaiting permit approvals before finalizing its plans.
dseufert@newstote.com
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