Why does the whole world think shopping is great????

**ironmaiden** · 11-16-2005, 11:36 AM

I know this is really off-topic but, I'm so angry I need to vent.

Our across the street neighbors house abuts land that someone has decided would make a great shopping mall!!!! Arrgggghhh!!!
I don't want to live seeing shopping land from my front window.
The developer is wooing people by saying how great, how convenient to have this in your neighborhood, how much better our schools would be for the tax money.

I hate that people think this is a great idea. Even if it wasn't in my view, I still wouldn't want it in my town. I don't want to change what my town is, I don't want to widen main st. I wouldn't want to do this to neighbors in other areas.

I hate that more shopping is seen as a wonderful thing. Doesn't anyone care at all that it would feed our kids more wants - and more expensive wants - where do you think the teens are going to hang out? All these people want more places to blow money that they don't have. I don't want my kids to be mall rats. All these stores are within 20 minutes of us anyway. geesh!!!!

**Michelle** · 11-16-2005, 11:39 AM

Where in Mass are you, ironmaiden?

**nodmicks** · 11-16-2005, 11:47 AM

Oh I wouldn't like that one bit!!! You make very good points!
We've had several offers for part or all of our property (farm house on 10 acres). Now I know its the land because the house isn't anything spectacular. Dh thought about selling the back 5 acres. I said no way! Anthing could go there. No way!
I hope it won't pass and you wont have to look out to see shops!

**Michele Annette** · 11-16-2005, 12:15 PM

Oh, that rots!

**hollyhill** · 11-16-2005, 12:21 PM

OH, that is terrible!

Can you hold a meeting for like-minded neighbours? I am sure their are others who feel the same as you.
Get the word out that an "against group" is forming!
Find other examples of this type of development. Take pictures interview residents about how it "changed" their lives. With this kind of support you might be able to get more on your side. The developer is still only "wooing". If he gets alot of negative feedback the development may not go through.
But you have to become a squeaky wheel.
Goodluck

**ironmaiden** · 11-16-2005, 01:15 PM

We're in Reading, MA. Burlington, MA is already getting one of these "lifestyle" centers on top of their mall.

As for the farmland. If it is zoned as residential, they probably are looking to put a subdivision in.

I did take pictures of the "backside" of their equivalent development - the 44 dumpsters, the delivery trucks and garbage trucks, employees hanging out on the back stoop i.e. the view that the neighbors would get. And I blew them up to 8x10's.
I'm really good at being the squeaky wheel. The very first meeting had only the abutters notified. I made my own flyers and passed it out. The developers were surprised that they were met by so many unhappy people. That's why they are taking their time and trying to win people over.

It'll be their marketing campaign (tax revenue for schools) against ours. Mine will stick to traffic, town reputation, petty crime that's already being seen on the other end of town due to retail development. The sad part my real beef is with rampant consumerism but I know that argument doesn't fly and actually hurts my reputation waving the flag against it by discounting me as some type of tree hugging radical.

**Michelle** · 11-16-2005, 01:18 PM

Originally posted by ironmaiden
We're in Reading, MA. Burlington, MA is already getting one of these "lifestyle" centers on top of their mall.

Small world. I grew up in Wilmington.

I can't believe that they're doing that in Burlington and now Reading too? They're so close to each other! What a shame

**Scattymum** · 11-16-2005, 01:24 PM

I'd be really annoyed too!

**Early Bird** · 11-16-2005, 02:26 PM

Nice going on the photos, Squeaky Wheel!

Originally posted by ironmaiden
It'll be their marketing campaign (tax revenue for schools) against ours. Mine will stick to traffic, town reputation, petty crime that's already being seen on the other end of town due to retail development. The sad part my real beef is with rampant consumerism but I know that argument doesn't fly and actually hurts my reputation waving the flag against it by discounting me as some type of tree hugging radical.

Wise of you to recognize what would turn people off from your argument.

**Telephus44** · 11-16-2005, 09:18 PM

I agree with your beef against rampant consumerism - DH and I have talked about how we want to start a social movement against consumerism (starting with a mass distribution of the PBS documentary "Afluenza").

And I'm in Worcester - my DH lived in Burlington right near the mall for 3 years (while we were dating). Its kind of odd that DH and I go to the mall about every other week, but we rarely buy things. We mostly look at things for ideas of how we can make or fix things ourselves, and if not then we price things out so we know what they should go for on eBay.

We spent a year living in Colorado - and one things that drove me nuts out there was that strip malls were everywhere - and no one seemed to have any problem with them. Sheesh.

**frugalfarmwife** · 11-17-2005, 04:09 AM

Oh I'd be so upset too! When we moved back to my hometown 13 years ago I'm SO glad we moved south of it, as soon after we moved they started developing the whole north end and it's unbelievable! I don't see how people can stand all that mess! It's ruined a beautiful town, ugh!

On a side note, we had to head up "there" yesterday, I had a 10 dollar cert for Elder-Beerman and am not one to turn down anything free. I couldn't wait to get out of there! The stacks and stacks of overpriced JUNK, the masses of people, the dirt, the noise, ugh, it was SO NICE to get back home to quiet!

KJ

**Chronicle** · 11-17-2005, 07:03 AM

We're in Billerica, MA. E-mail me if you're looking for warm bodies to hold signs. I'm so sick of development. Everywhere you look you see new development yet (in our town) there are existing buildings standing empty.

This area used to be "rural" but now there are only two "farms" left. One is an operating vegetable/flower farm with green houses and a farm stand; the other was a small dairy farm that has been turned over to the state for preservation. The rest of our town in developed to the hilt. Very little open space left.

**canadian gardener** · 11-17-2005, 11:15 AM

my sympathies!

little snarky joke/comment on things here

When people worship the almighty dollar, their place of worship is a MALL.

our whole consumer driven society wouldn't know what to do if there wasn't SHOPPING.

off soapbox, crabby margery turns back into normal margery and carries on reading this mornings set of threads (way more fun than the newspaper!)

**schellie69** · 11-17-2005, 11:25 AM

I understand I am glad that the mall and most of the stores walmart target are at the south end of town and not where I live makes me think before I go shopping and I make sure I have to go on errand that way before I go. Most of the devlopement is in the south end, there were people complaining about wanting stores on the north end I am glad that they didn't win I would not want those stores to close. I live in a farming area and am still glad that there are open spaces around here.