THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 30, 1995 TAG: 9507280163
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
A lot of anger spilled out into City Council chambers last Tuesday night when residents of the area around the old Churchland High School site on High Street attempted to thwart a proposed retail development there.
The speakers, all of them speaking with sincerity, failed to convince a majority of council to spurn retail development. A center with a Hannaford super market and a Caldor discount store will be built there.
Although the residents attempted to discredit the development, they did so based on the current reports of the discount store's financial condition and the fact that other ``big box'' stores have failed over the years. Those arguments seem somewhat invalid because Portsmouth is not doing business with Caldor, but rather with a developer, who presumably would go out and find another business to occupy the retail space if the first tenant didn't make it.
The council's final tally of 4-3 was one vote closer than it had been two weeks earlier. But the final vote favored the proposed center.
Many citizens opposed to the plan left the meeting angry and still are fuming about the situation. Some say they will sell their homes in Woodbine and move out of the city. Others say they will not vote for those who voted against them.
Most of those who have waged the opposition against the development are sensible individuals. They know that hanging on to their anger will not change the immediate situation.
Most of them are not vindictive people.
Those who live in Woodbine and nearby know that they will be hard put to find homes as comfortable and convenient as their existing residences anywhere at any price. Most of them care about Portsmouth.
Even if they don't agree with a decision they can't change, the opponents now ought to give the center a chance. It could turn out to be better than they expect. Or their dire predictions might come true.
However, they owe it to themselves, as well as to the city, to wait until the center's built before they take any drastic action. And, for the time being, they owe it to themselves to calm down, to let go of the anger that seemed to propel them beyond reason last Tuesday night.
Most of the residents of the area are smart enough to know that so much anger topped by continuing anguish over losing an argument with Council won't do anything constructive for the city - or for themselves.
We hope they will stop being angry long enough to understand a decision made in good faith by four of their elected officials who see a tremendous need to bring back some retail business to the city. by CNB