Pittsfield Township heads into final 2 weeks for Costco and master plan feedback
With two weeks remaining before Pittsfield Township votes on a new master plan and a rezoning request for a Costco warehouse store, little opposition to either effort has come before the township.
The public review for both proposals concludes at noon July 27, when officials meet at the Township Hall to vote.
The first issue concludes a two-year master plan revision that identifies six commercial districts in the township where retail uses will be concentrated. Also set as a goal for those areas are mixed-uses, including residential components, and mass transit options.
The second specifically deals with a request by the warehouse club to redevelop 17 acres along Ellsworth west of South State into a 148,000-square-foot store with a gas station. It was approved in early June, but needs to be approved in a second reading, too.
The efforts are being heard concurrently, said township supervisor Mandy Grewal.
Feedback has come mostly from surrounding jurisdictions, she said, with a few residents speaking out.
“We’ve made some tweaks here and there,” she said. “Everyone seems quite happy.”
The master plan will serve as a blueprint for township development.
Reaction to Costco, she said, mostly has been residents “who are excited. They want it to come (to Pittsfield) and they know it’s in the pipeline.”
If approved during the rezoning, the store could be under construction this year, with a targeted opening date of late spring 2012.
Comments
Lady Audrey
Thu, Jul 14, 2011 : 11:38 a.m.
Hey all you walmart bashers. Your neighbors likely work at the stores in our area.
Goober
Wed, Jul 13, 2011 : 7:58 p.m.
I believe Rome was built in less time.
bulldog01
Wed, Jul 13, 2011 : 4:27 p.m.
Good job Pittsfield - at least you are realistic by allowing Costco....Scio Township your loss - does Scio ever get anything approved?
4mytown
Wed, Jul 13, 2011 : 4:01 p.m.
As a response to Lac Court Orilles, I am also interested in buying from and supporting local businesses, and I do not feel that the taxpayers should foot the bill for big commercial developments, ... we do shop at the farmers market, COSTCO is far from being a Republican big box business. Their co-founder Jim Sinegal and management are about as far left as you will ever find for a business this size. I would recommend you do a little research on them to learn what COSTCO is all about. <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/130/thinking-outside-the-big-box.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/130/thinking-outside-the-big-box.html</a> I am not fanatic about them, but they do represent a sustainable model. Having said that, I hope that Pittsfield Township will pay attention to the esthetics when permitting any new developments. Low prices are great, but we should be aiming for architectural and landscape designs that look great, too.
Meg
Wed, Jul 13, 2011 : 5:40 p.m.
I am a fanatic about them. I love Costco. I grew up in Seattle, where the first stores were located, and everyone I knew wanted a job at Costco in college, because the pay was good, the company took care of you and the promotions came from within. It cannot be compared to Walmart or Sam's Club in terms of ethical business practices.
dotdash
Wed, Jul 13, 2011 : 3:54 p.m.
It *would* be nice if Costco could put a dent in Walmart. Walmart has notoriously terrible labor policies and bullies its suppliers; Costco is generally accepted to be a much better corporate citizen. I'd make the trade in a minute!
nixon41
Wed, Jul 13, 2011 : 3:06 p.m.
Hopefully the plan will go through. Costco is SO MUCH better than Sam's.
Lac Court Orilles
Wed, Jul 13, 2011 : 1:26 p.m.
Who's going to pay for the increase in police and fire services? If you live in Pittsfield Township, your police officers are frequenting big box shopping center areas rather than spending time in Pittsfield Township residential neighborhoods. Pittsfield Township police department is a very small grossly understaffed police department that is spread so thin it's almost criminal. (I'm not a police officer, just a township resident upset with minimal police services) It's the people who live in the neighborhoods that pay all the taxes, not the big box Republican businesses who receive major tax breaks from our arrogant multi-billionaire governor. Case in point, my property taxes went up even with three foreclosed homes sandwiching me in between them. Costco, Sams's, WalMart, Target, Lowe's, Home Depot, and Meijers must share more of the cost of police and fire protection in Pittsfield Township because they get the majority of the services while residents get less.
MAS
Wed, Jul 13, 2011 : 3:01 p.m.
I don't think we live in the same town. The Pittsfield police seem pretty well staffed to me and I always see them driving around or watching traffic especially on Platt.
dlb
Wed, Jul 13, 2011 : 1:19 p.m.
Not to nitpick Oldtimer, but for the record, the article says "along Ellsworth west of South State". While I don't like that these big box stores hurt mom and pop shops, I am thinking the closest competition for the new Costco will be Walmart - there is some satisfaction in that... Hopefully the plan for this will address the potential traffic headache, as that is an incredibly busy intersection at rush hour.
cfsunlet
Wed, Jul 13, 2011 : 3:30 p.m.
It would be great to see State widened south of Ellsworth down to Avis Farms--4 lanes plus a middle turn lane, then South of Avis farms continue the middle turn lane to Textile. Also to have bike and walking paths installed at least to Avis Farms--there are always people walking in the shoulder along side of the road becasue the busline stops at Ellsworth.
zeeba
Wed, Jul 13, 2011 : 1:11 p.m.
It would be nice if the township would have posted the proposed master plan MAP in a prominent spot on their web site, along with the previous one. It's the map that is the critical thing - which areas are zoned for what, and what is changing. As it is, you have to wade through the entire document and a bunch of pie-in-the-sky pretty pictures of things that will never be built to figure out just what they're proposing to do. A very poor job by the board in explaining a major initiative to township residents.
OLDTIMER3
Wed, Jul 13, 2011 : 12:16 p.m.
While I think COSTCO is needed in the area isn't the West side of State street south of Ellsworth where the airport is?
cfsunlet
Wed, Jul 13, 2011 : 3:26 p.m.
It is West of South State, not South of Ellsworth
xmo
Wed, Jul 13, 2011 : 11:32 a.m.
Yea, more jobs and tax revenue! Also more competition for National Chains and local Mom & Pop businesses
Basic Bob
Wed, Jul 13, 2011 : 10:44 a.m.
I'm glad Costco is being built in Pittsfield. However, the master plan is bloated and incomprehensible. Practicality has been thrown out the window. I am concerned that it will be too easily challenged in court by a developer for a project we don't want, leading to an expensive gift of taxpayer money to the legal teams. Costco and the master plan will be forever linked in the community, however this Costco development went through largely because the supervisor suspended the master plan and zoning to build this project. The same courtesy was not shown to other developers. Personal preference has usurped professionalism in Pittsfield.