Store is not the right fit for our town

Once again the actions of Margaret Sharra has a negative effect on others. One has to ask themselves would this Zeremba Group even be here in this area if it wasn't for Sharra's get rich quick scheme and her contacting them in the first place? Too bad our ZBA didn't have the common sense to uphold the HDC's decision and do what was right. Now it seems they have opened a very wide door which will affect surrounding communities with their biased decision and stupidity costing others to fight this group from turning quaint downtown  Marlborough into another strip mall community.


Marlborough dollar store or educational farm?

Talk about the mistake of paving paradise to put up a parking lot!
As many town of Marlborough residents now know, the Zaremba group has proposed to raze the farmhouse and barn on the William Thomas property on Main Street, and put in a dollar store, complete with commodious parking lot. A petition is being circulated, asking the Marlborough zoning and planning boards to reject this proposal.
Many residents feel that a dollar store would be a mistake. Besides the obvious facts that a dollar store is unnecessary (such a large, modern, commercial building would be out of character with Marlborough’s charm and less than compatible with the small businesses our town master plan encourages), there are many better uses for this beautiful property. The land, with a charming house, barn, and ample open, flat, flood-plain land, is adjacent to the Marlborough School playing fields. With the addition of a bridge to safely cross the river, the property could become a wonderful Cornucopia-type school farm, where students and town residents could produce vegetables, eggs and perhaps keep small livestock. Community interface with students would be encouraged, and our children would learn about producing food and caring for the earth.
Would this not be a better use than another dollar store? Keene already has one. Even cluster housing would be a higher use. Once the flat floodplain is paved, it will be difficult or impossible to restore.
It seems that this could be a golden opportunity for Marlborough School and residents. Let’s seize this opportunity. Please sign one of the petitions, available in many Marlborough locations, and plan to attend the public meeting on Dec. 7, at 7 p.m., at the Marlborough Community House.
We gave our children a beautiful school. Now let’s show them that we really care.


GEORGE ISELIN

Marlborough