On February 1, 2017, I joined residents from the Wellington Hill neighborhood at a public hearing of the Manchester Planning Board to voice our opposition to a Z1 Express gas station/convenience store proposed for the intersection of Edward J. Roy Drive and Wellington Road. Indeed, it was a full house:
Prior to the meeting, I heard from dozens of Wellington Hill area residents about this proposal. All but one were adamantly opposed to this project, as am I, for a number of reasons, including:
SAFETY
Gas stations and convenience stores are common targets for armed robberies, and Z1 Express is no exception. Indeed, the Z1 Express at 650 Second Street was robbed at gunpoint last month.
According to the Union Leader, the assailant, wielding a firearm, fled on foot. If such a robbery occurs at the Z1 Express on Edward J. Roy Drive, any assailant making an escape will be doing so through what is overwhelmingly a residential neighborhood, which includes many children. As the father of a young child myself, I am especially bothered by this prospect.
INCOMPATIBLE USE
Indeed, the nearest commercial property to this site is more than a mile away. What surrounds this parcel is entirely residential:
This image created by resident Jeff Hanson shows how the proposed gas station is “out of character” with the area. You can see the little red speck in the middle of the green is the proposed site. The other areas in red are the other commercial type areas surrounding the site.
PROPERTY VALUES
I also have concerns about the effect of the project on the values of nearby properties. Who, after all, wants to live next to a gas station? I know I don’t.
TRAFFIC
I can’t imagine this project not having a significant impact on traffic (which is already a challenge during the morning and evening commute) on the intersection of Wellington Road and Edward J. Roy Drive at all hours of the day and night as motorists exit I-93 at Exit 8 to access the station.
And as Edward J. Roy Drive is the only means by which the residents of Wellington Hill can exit the neighborhood, I shudder to think what would happen if there was an emergency of any kind at the gas station.
I’m also worried about the hazard this increased traffic poses to pedestrians and bicyclists, myself included, who utilize this corridor.
ENVIRONMENT
As it now stands, this area is wooded area that I’m told serves as a watershed for the Wellington Hill neighborhood. I would hate to see one of the last remaining wooded parcels in this area be destroyed, which could affect not just stormwater mitigation, but wildlife habitat and air quality as well.
PUBLIC SERVICES
By reducing this wooded greenspace and watershed, additional strain will likely be placed on the area’s sewer mains. Additional strain is also likely to be placed on the Police Department, which will have to deal with the potential robberies. And finally, I would imagine that the streets and signals will need to be altered to accommodate the increased traffic.
CONCLUSION
In short, this is the wrong project and the wrong location.