It took 30 minutes and two changes in location before the Henniker planning board could begin its meeting Wednesday evening. Why? The board had to find space to accommodate some 80 residents with their eyes on preventing Dollar General from moving into their town.
After going from town hall to the community center, where a yoga class was in progress, the meeting finally settled at the Parish House next to Henniker Congregational Church.
The proposed design of a Dollar General store across Route 114 from the Henniker Farm & Country Store is still in its conceptual stage, but residents – including abutters and local business owners – voiced strong opposition to the corporate variety store chain building on a 2.6 acre plot that is currently a hayfield.
“This just doesn’t fit our town,” said Bruce Hall, owner of the Country Spirit Restaurant – about a quarter mile south of the proposed site.
Residents discussed a range of alternative uses for the land, most of them agricultural, such as a community garden. But to do that, they would need to find a buyer.
“Just buy it,” said planning board member Dean Tirell. “If you want the process ended, then end it. There needs to be some type of compromise here.”
One resident, Steven Forster, suggested the town form a cooperative to buy the land.
Austin Turner, a civil engineer with Bohler Engineering who has helped design a dozen Dollar Generals across New England, presented the blueprints for 9,100 square-foot building. He said the design is about 90 percent complete.
But when he pulled out a poster of the storefront’s proposed design, a collection of groans rang through the hall at the Parish House.
“That looks like Henniker,” one resident quipped.
Ben Fortner, a recently elected selectman, said Dollar General’s interest in Henniker is a poor reflection on the state of the town.
“This is a fight,” Fortner said. “These buildings come into areas in economic decline. That’s an indicator. I’m concerned they’ve identified us as an economically depressed area.”
Discussion on Dollar General lasted about 90 minutes before the meeting moved on and most of the audience cleared out.
Residents raised concerns on a variety of specific concerns, including traffic, signage and environmental impact.
Chris Bremer, an abutter north of the site, asked why Dollar General wants to build a location in Henniker considering there’s a nearby location in Hillsboro.
Turner said Dollar General does not seek to be a regional attraction but looks for a community it believes it can serve.
Turner said decisions in the design have been made with sight lines in mind for abutters, but it didn’t seem to convince many.
“You want to takeaway my view of Pats Peak?” said Gail Hayden, who’s home is right next door to the north of the plot.
The planning board will hold a work session at its next meeting April 27 at 7 p.m. at the town hall to organize feedback for Dollar General.
(Nick Stoico can be reached at 369-3314, nstoico@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @NickStoico.)