Here’s the story from the Sentinel’s Kyle Jarvis where Kohl’s would like to open a store in the old Sears building – creating jobs for Keene inhabitants. Meanwhile, the city screws up some of its own bureaucratic process and has to delay its own hearing where Kohl’s is to beg for a waiver. The Sentinel reports that city code prohibits uplighting. Gosh, we wouldn’t want you to be able to use lights to design things to make your business more attractive! And don’t you DARE paint your building anything bright and fun – this is New England – everything here must be drab, dull, and made of brick!
This is one among many provisions called “zoning” or “regulations” where a group of people calling themselves government – or “the Keene planning board” deem to tell you what you can and can’t do with something you paid for – or else they will send men with guns after you. I’d like to be able to say, “No thanks” as I’d rather not use their planning services. Yet I am the “radical” for wanting peace. Kohl’s should be able to open their store without having to ask permission – and so should you.
The Sentinel piece’s text follows:
A public hearing on a proposed Kohl’s store in Keene was delayed Monday night due to a technicality.
Kohl’s, the national department store chain, announced plans last year to put a store on West Street, in the former Sears building. The company has since requested a waiver from city codes prohibiting “uplighting,” and a public hearing on the request was to take place during Monday’s meeting of the Keene Planning Board.
Planning Director W. Rhett Lamb said there was a language error in the public notice that identified the wrong standard from which Kohl’s was seeking a waiver, and therefore it would not be appropriate for the board to move forward with the hearing Monday night. Lamb said he expects to communicate with Kohl’s representatives today to determine when the hearing can be held, which would likely be April 8 or April 22.
Kohl’s is asking to install four ground-mounted LED lights along the store’s facade to “highlight” the building, according to the application submitted to the city’s planning department.
Kohl’s plans to occupy the 57,925-square-foot portion of the building closest to Route 12. The other 33,791-square-foot space does not have an occupant yet, and Kohl’s would use a plywood wall to cover the vacant space next door.
