Sign blasts shopping center plan

NORWICH -

It took Marterese Ferrari almost one full day to paint the life-size sign sitting in Harry Swatsburg’s front yard on Washington Street, but she said every minute was worth it.
The sign asks people “demand smart development and say no to the Washington Street rezone.” It also says “a Walgreen’s complex will save each taxpayer $1.19 per year” and is the neighbors’ way of saying no to a proposed 20,000-square-foot retail development along the busy area.

Developers Carpionato-LaBossiere Properties LLC submitted an application to the city clerk’s office Friday for a zoning map change to rezone seven properties to neighborhood commercial. Aldermen Jackie Caron, John Crooks and Larry Goldman signed the proposed ordinance as sponsors in August.

“It’s sad it has come to this,” said Ferrari Monday, after her group, the Norwich Neighborhoods Coalition, had finished erecting the sign in Swatsburg’s yard. “It seems the only way the citizenry can be heard. By submitting the application on Friday afternoon before the holiday they were trying to prevent people from knowing about it, and we wanted to reverse that.”

Swatsburg said he was happy to lend his yard to the cause.

“I live here, this is my community, and I’m trying to do my share,” he said.

Crooks, who signed on to the ordinance, said the issue was an emotional one.

“I sympathize for those folks. It’s unfortunate, but we’re in this position because some neighbors opted out of their property,” he said.  “Development in that area is inevitable, and we need taxable development.”

Coalition member Brad Marchand said the decision to bring the issue back was political.

“It’s grandstanding,” he said. “We have the numbers. It’s not smoke and mirrors, it’s all in black and white.”