PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council opted against asking Waterstone Realty for an independent economic impact study on the proposed Walmart Supercenter at this time.

 

The council voted 6-4 against Downtown Pittsfield Inc.'s request to have the developer pay for an independent consultant to analyze the economic the project to build a 190,000 square-foot store at the William Stanley Business Park.

 

However, some councilors said they'd like a study done, once a proposal is made and the once the scope of the study is clearer.

 

"When we are looking at the impacts of the downtown, it is not the interest of a few retailers who may not be here tomorrow but it is what are the impacts in 10 to 15 years from now," Downtown Pittsfield Inc. President Jesse Cook-Dubin said, explaining the type of study he hopes will be done.

 

Cook-Dubin said his board was unable to come to a stance on the issue because he feels there are too many unknowns to evaluate the long-term impacts. His membership will do its own research in looking at what has happened elsewhere and will talk to the business community. But, the third piece is to have a study done specifically on the impacts of this project at this site.

 

"The goal is not to delay the project," Cook-Dubin said, advocating to let Waterstone know the city wants such a study ahead of time and not in the middle of deliberations about the specific project.

 

Council Vice President John Krol, however, says the city has no leverage at this point to request such a study. Once the developers propose a project, then the City Council can ask for such additional information when the council is asked to approve the special permit. He also doesn't want it to delay the project.

 

"I have no problem studying it but we want to avoid what is called paralysis by analysis," Krol said. 

 

Ward 7 Councilor Anthony Simonelli said asking for a study now is "putting the cart before the horse" since at the moment there is no such proposal. Waterstone has announced its intentions but so far hasn't applied for the permits needed. Simonelli said the entire review of the permitting will take a while so there is no urgency to push for a study now.

 

"We don't need to hurry up to go nowhere," Simonelli said. 

 

Ward 5 Councilor Donna Todd Rivers, however, said the economic impacts should be studied because the project is too important to the city.

 

"I see all of the short-term benefits people are talking about. But, I want more information on the long-term impacts in Pittsfield. I would rather have a short delay and get the answer right than make a big mistake," Rivers said. 

 

But the scope of the study is unknown, as is the cost and the time it would take. Ward 4 Councilor Christopher Connell said the study should be done by an independent person, and not by the city, and should look at business turnover, sales increases and decreases at local businesses, traffic patterns, homes values, and more. He envisions a comprehensive study.

 

"This is much more intense than some people believe," Connell said. 

 

The city hadn't required Home Depot to do such a study, nor Aldi, nor Price Rite, when those companies moved in, said Councilor at Large Peter White. 

 

"We talk about being business friendly and it seems right now we are being protectionists," White said. "We just keep putting hoop after hoop in front of businesses. ... we are not being business friendly."

 

Councilor at Large Kathleen Amuso agreed, saying, "this is one more hurdle they have to pass because Walmart isn't everyone's first choice."

 

Meanwhile City Planner C.J. Hoss said the city can request an independent review and if the council wanted, the Office of Community Development can start looking for a consultant now. But, the council did not vote to send the request to the office. 

 

"It would be best to wait and see what the developer submits," Hoss said, because that way there is more of a basis of the review. 

 

He said, "typically developers don't provide a larger economic impact" but in this case the city could ask for one. He suggested letting the developers know that the city wants one and then having a consultant review the study submitted. 

 

"We provide some guidance to the developers about what they may want to include to address issues that come out," Hoss said of the Office of Community Development. 

 

Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo advocated for having the office ask Waterstone to commission the study and if they don't, that's a "black mark for them" when it comes the vote. 

 

Mazzeo was joined by Rivers, Ward 3 Councilor Nicholas Caccamo and Council President Peter Marchetti in voting to request such a study but was outvoted by the rest of the council.