SOUTH DEERFIELD — When a town resident asked the 50 or so at the July 2 public hearing who wanted to see a Dollar General built, no one raised a hand.
When the resident asked who doesn’t want to see the discount store built, the show of hands was unanimous.
“The constituents don’t want this garbage in our town,” Steven Pistrich said.
Pistrich was among residents who filled an hour of public comment with overwhelming displeasure regarding a plan to build a Dollar General at the corner of Routes 5 and 10 and Mill Village Road.
While many who attended the rescheduled Planning Board hearing decried the April tree cutting from the site, calling it reckless and disgusting, others pointed to traffic and safety concerns and worries of stormwater drainage.
Planning Board Chairman John Waite pushed for the board and the town to follow bylaws he urged residents to read.
“Obviously, we see an overwhelming opposition to this project. That is pretty clear,” Waite said. “But you can’t just say we are going to deny this.”
The board agreed to continue the public hearing to Aug. 6.
The meeting had been rescheduled after it became known abutters weren’t properly notified. A meeting two weeks ago brought double the residents to the Deerfield Town Hall.
The property at the corner of 5 & 10 is owned by local businessman Greg Gardner. Earlier Monday, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation confirmed that Gardner still has a permit to allow for building a driveway into the state highway, despite questions on whether the permit was revoked following the tree cutting.
Gardner, who was not in attendance on Monday, and the development company took heat from residents for not consulting neighbors or the town before cutting trees. Many argued that move was done in concert with Gardner with the intent of selling the property. Residents stated this changed the character of the town.
Of the about two dozen who spoke Monday night in a meeting that lasted close to three hours, residents looked for different weak points they saw in the developers’ plans.
Residents urged the Planning Board not to recommend the project to the Zoning Board of Appeals, which is the board that grants special permits.
Some residents at the hearing asked what it would take to stop a business they don’t want from coming to town.
“I really think it affects the character of the neighborhood,” Julie Cavacco said. “Why is it the Planning Board cannot limit it on that reason alone?”
Some collected signatures to urge the board to enlist a third-party review of the project in an effort to keep Deerfield local.
“We are working hard in this community to support local farmers and businesses,” Laurie Boosahda said. “We cannot honestly support them if we bring in an international firm shipping in goods from around the world. We need to protect the rural, historic, agricultural beauty of this town.”