Costco official tells Pittsfield Township: 'Time kills all deals'
For anyone wondering whether Costco’s patience may be wearing thin as Pittsfield Township extends its master plan revisions into their third calendar year, the answer now is part of the public record.
“Time kills all deals,” said Jackie Frank, Costco’s vice president for real estate development, during the March 17 Planning Commission meeting.
File photo | AnnArbor.com
The comment came during his presentation that detailed the progress toward building the store. It's the second effort by Costco to build in the region in recent years, after Scio Township turned down a request.
Now Pittsfield Township is ready to rezone the property for the commercial development, and officials say they welcome the retailer.
The only holdup: Officials also have said the rezoning can’t take place until the “Pittsfield 2010” master plan revision is concluded.
Frank’s comment wasn’t adversarial. And after the meeting, he told me the store wasn’t threatening to walk away from the deal. The net result from the meeting was the project is “still moving in a positive direction,” he said.
Yet the public also got its first glimpse into how the store is responding to the continued extension of the timeline.
It’s moving forward in good faith and wants to keep the project collaborative and productive, Frank said.
But he also offered a request to planning commissioners: “Please expedite your master land use plan.”
The store began its siting effort for the store in early 2010, and the township confirmed its interest in seeing the store built there last April. The effort, Frank said, was pursued with the belief that the master plan would be done in November, he said.
“Here it is March,” he told the planning commission, noting that it likely will be June before the new master plan is adopted.
The presentation also gave Frank a chance to say that he thinks the work on the store that’s been accomplished by the township and the Costco team is making a better project. The results of the effort were on display later in the meeting, when Costco representatives detailed changes to the building plans, the site engineering and the pending agreement to roadway improvements.
But those ongoing conversations that prompted the changes also included a recent report by township planning consultant Richard Carlisle, which asked Costco to consider things like a pedestrian access, internal site circulation and the number and width of parking spaces.
Much of that already has been presented, discussed and revised in earlier communication with the township, including two previous visits to the Planning Commission.
That report, Frank told commissioners, “retraces steps that we together have made progress on.”
“In the last few weeks, we’ve taken steps backwards,” Frank said.
Both his reaction and the comments in Carlisle’s report were meant to be constructive, Frank said.
Still, he said, “if we could have had a dialogue … this could have been a much shorter and less painful process.”
So what is next for Pittsfield Township’s master plan?
The 60-day public comment period should start in April, according to officials, and then changes will be made before it’s adopted.
Supervisor Mandy Grewal and other township officials have been open about what they expect with the master plan, and none of them predict a massive overhaul from the direction it’s already taken. That includes formalizing 6 commercial “nodes,” including the Costco site, which would allow the store to be built.
There’s already a lot of support for the commercial zoning at State and Ellsworth - so much, in fact, that Planning Commission Chair Matthew Payne suggested pursuing a conditional approval for Costco in advance of the master plan revisions. That could happen next month.
“We don’t want to wait until June or something (on Costco),” he said.
That solution would suit Costco, Frank said. And he’d appreciate the option, he told me later.
And despite the frustration that crept into the meeting, Frank expressed Costco’s intent to keep proceeding with the effort to build its long-sought store in Washtenaw County.
“Our goal,” Frank told commissioners, “is to meet your expectations and put our best foot forward and hopefully be a welcome addition to the community.”
Comments
Broken Record
Sat, Mar 26, 2011 : 10:04 p.m.
I hope that AnnArbor.com keeps writing updates every week or two on the progress of the master plan and the "conditional approval" of Costco that was mentioned. Even if nothing exciting has happened it seems like something many readers are genuinely interested in knowing about and if nothing else the constant updates might light a fire under the township officials to get it to the public comment phase on schedule is not early. I really hope the waiting won't cause Costco to give up and they get early approval to start building in the next few weeks. I can't think of any other store that people in the area actually want to be built. Also, the Pittsfield Township website only contains 6 chapters of about 12 pages each of the master plan. I was expecting since the master plan has taken over two years to make and still hasn't even made it to the review phase that it would be several hundred of pages long. Is there more of the plan than those chapters that i'm not seeing?
applehazar
Fri, Mar 25, 2011 : 11:46 a.m.
Another 3 days and no news. Paula this is your story. It is now 8 days since the Costco Ultimatum and no update reporting by annarbor.com.
applehazar
Tue, Mar 22, 2011 : 11:47 a.m.
From the AnnArbor.com poll - 90% of the 2423 vote said "get it done now". Mandy Grewal are you listening? What more do you need? You are elected by us to follow the taxpayer's voice. It has been almost a week now since the March 17 meeting and silence from you and your team. Pass the special variance or maybe we should consider a recall poll.
rgmi
Mon, Mar 21, 2011 : 2:37 p.m.
Pittsfield has a practice of positioning itself as being a hinderence to business. I know small companies that have gone under, while they walked through the costs, upgrades and multi-year delays by the township. And as a small business owner myself, I'd think long and hard before setting up shop in Pittsfield. CostCo certainly won't go under...but it will certainly move on. And their statement is not a threat demanding special treatment--it's a statement of fact. A delay so we get greener land management? Sure. A delay so we have a more community-oriented land use design? Sure. A delay so we can align the land use design with the township charter? I guess so...by the way how long is this going to go on? It's a fair question and the township needs to answer.
black canoe
Mon, Mar 21, 2011 : 10:40 a.m.
Please remember Costco trying to acquire property to build on Zeeb at 94. A citizens group objected so strongly to the new store being on Zeeb Road and not Jackson road that Costco pulled out. No jobs, no tax revenue. Brilliant move by the objectors. I hope Pittsfield can make a decision and not be a second location in Washtenaw county proving to be difficult to deal with.
John Alan
Mon, Mar 21, 2011 : 7:17 a.m.
Nothing will happen..... for so long he township is dancing around and using this masterplan excuse and from what I see..... it will never be finalized. From what is happening and the masterplan progress, it appears that the planing people in this township do NOT have what it takes to finish a project.
Lets Get Real
Sun, Mar 20, 2011 : 8:53 p.m.
Which planning commission is the worst? It's becoming hard to tell. Ann Arbor is known for being UNREASONABLE. Scio screwed this up once. Did Pittsfield learn nothing? Obviously not.
John Q
Sun, Mar 20, 2011 : 2:39 a.m.
Tax revenue windfalls? Some people have delusions of grandeur about how much Pittsfield will get from Costco. If they're lucky, they may break even in the tax revenue. Maybe.
rcastentman
Sun, Mar 20, 2011 : 12:40 a.m.
Pittsfield Township has a serious case of Ann Arboritis. It's taking developers almost as long to get fed up in the township as it is in the city!
texaswede
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 9:10 p.m.
These little township fiefdoms sit there in their leisure, playing with themselves, while the area burns. For god's sake give Costco the go ahead.
ShadowManager
Sun, Mar 20, 2011 : 12:24 a.m.
That looks fine to me. There's nothing wrong with it, actually.
Ralph
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 8:43 p.m.
Please, no more big box stores and their low quality products.
Hot Sam
Sun, Mar 20, 2011 : 1:12 p.m.
The quality of their products is superb. One should educate themselves before posting.
jcj
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 11:13 p.m.
And how do you know they have "low quality products"? I have never shopped there so I do not know. Not saying everything is top quality but after looking at their web site I see the following. Whirlpool Bridgestone Dell HP Sony Honda
Sallyxyz
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 7:46 p.m.
I have another read on this whole issue and the delays in Pittsfield Twnship. In my opinion, I think that there is "back room pressure" from other businesses in the area who do not want a Costco close to A2. Other big box stores may suffer, and don't want a good store, such as Costco, cutting into their business. Obviously, this is not something that is public or that we will hear about on A2 dot com, but I would venture that powerbrokers in the area (Walmart in Saline, Meijer, etc) are behind the scenes pressuring Pittsfield to delay, and hope that Costco gets frustrated and goes away. I don't know why the Scio location didn't work out, but there may be more to this 3-year saga than we are being told publicly. I doubt anyone will ever know the real story behind these delays, as we are fed the "party line." Costco is a great store and will definitely make a difference in the A2 area, if it ever happens here. It's pretty ridiculous that 3 years later, all we have is a drawing of a Costco building.
lefty48197
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 6:26 p.m.
I wonder if the Walmart corporation hasn't somehow convinced the Pittsfield Twp officials to drag their feet on this issue?
Sallyxyz
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 7:47 p.m.
It's called payola. I have the same thoughts. See my post below. Walmart is powerful and I wouldn't trust their business ethics one iota.
Trouble
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 4:41 p.m.
" If we could have a dialog " Means the bureacrats in Pittsfield won't talk about what they want with the Costco officials. Scio Twp. learned a painful lesson... Costco is NOT afraid to walk. Lets remember who " played " with Costco when this ship goes down. In this economy, in this job market, Pittsfield's arrogance in just unbelievable. This is NOT Costco's first dance.
81wolverine
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 3:12 p.m.
The conditional approval option sounds like a no-brainer to me. That would enable Costco to be able to move forward while allowing the completion of all the details of the master plan. But, Pittsfield needs to expedite this process. When you have a potentially big employer coming into the area that can and will attract shoppers from pretty far, the deal needs to be closed.
Bogie
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 3:11 p.m.
This is what drives me nuts. I read story, after story about the state needs jobs, and economic growth. Then you read stories, like this. Another bureacracy dragging it's feet. Who is this Mr. Carlisle? and does the township need to pay him for redundancy? That is the problem, to many layers of government; too many bureaucrats. It is sad.
aajeff
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 7:22 p.m.
Oh yes, he is paid BIG money!!! Mr. Carlisle is just another consultant that Pittsfield and Scio Townships pay huge (yes, huge) consulting fees to. No wonder he's at a meeting with Pittsfield/Costco officials and brings up things that he's already written a report on. That's how he is paid. He and others like him would never survive without municipalities throwing business his way and he delays and delays just like the Township does. The arrogance of Scio Township officials is closely matched by Pittsfield.
Basic Bob
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 4:53 p.m.
Mr. Carlisle is a consultant paid by the township, so it is likely that they are billed for every hour he asks redundant questions.
pseudo
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 1:53 p.m.
Hey Costco...Ypsilanti has some land that is big enough for your parking needs AND prettier than the swamp and...their city council is a bit greedy but by comparison...might talk to the City - it could be a HUGE win-win for both of you. Access is solid too.
tim
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 1:52 p.m.
If you really want cheap food then go to Aldi or Save-a-lot. Both stores are much cheaper than either Sams or Cosco, although Cosco is a better choice than Sams because they treat their employees better.
townie54
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 12:01 p.m.
If it gives local people jobs than I am all for it.I doubt I will ever shop there but jobs and Costco paying taxes is good I think
Arieswoman
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 11:19 a.m.
What gives with these officials? Get with it and move! Time is indeed money and it is expensive for Costco to wait and wait. I am looking forward to Costco moving into this area!
SonnyDog09
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 11 a.m.
Delay is the deadliest form of denial.
Monica R-W
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 6:46 a.m.
Here is a suggestion for Costco....move to Ypsilanti Township. A Majority of residents would support this and I believe our Township Zoning Committee will make this happen. And, we have land available. Food for thought....
ShadowManager
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 4:59 a.m.
OMG ! We might have to wait...or worse yet...never have the opportunity to buy bulk toilet paper and enough bottled water to last nuclear winter! OMG! We might lose out on a few minimum wage jobs and have to drive a whole mile to the other bulk superstore that just went in. OMG!
Mike
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 6:34 p.m.
I'm sure you'd have an opinion about paying higher taxes also.
DDOT1962
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 1:23 p.m.
lol...exactly right!
Engineer
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 3:39 a.m.
Hey costco go talk to Saline they have a huge already bare lot right downtown. You would be a perfact fit and they could fill the big ugly hole. Hopefully Saline would be smarter than Scio and Pittsfield and welcome you with open arms. They have looked at the ugly hole right downtown now for more than a year so they should be ready. I am sure your tax dollars and jobs would be welecome too!
townie54
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 12:03 p.m.
that hole area is not big enough for this store
DennisP
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 3:21 a.m.
This is another example of bureaucratic stonewalling and putting the township's administrative agenda ahead of the needs and wants of businesses, landowners and--most of all--the community. The approval of the proposed site plan is all but a done deal, but the board has to put off approval until it finishes a Master Plan that will be drafted to identify a commercial site as a commercial site. No one is saying what Costco proposes will conflict with the proposed Master Plan (or the existing one for that matter). So, what everyone else knows and can see blatantly cannot be legally recognized until a township planning document that's been in committee since before 2010 is finalized sometime near the end of 2011. And someone should demand this consultant pay them back for making recommendations that Costco already addressed. Bureaucratic bungling is a large reason why Michigan has lost jobs and businesses. And, yes, Scio Township is the poster child of local governments screwing up growth and development. They lost that project trying to keep a vocal minority and the local Meijer happy and to arrogance in thinking they could boss around Costco. Now what do they have to show for it? A Boulevard of Broken Dreams... Provide a variance or provisional approval so Costco knows that it is spending money on planning and construction that won't be stopped because the proposed Master Plan has a comma where it needs a semi-colon or some such.
BillieR
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 1:19 a.m.
I want a union place to shop--we need an alternative to You-Know-Who's Club!!
Mike
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 6:33 p.m.
That would be great except nobody could afford to shop there.
Ann English
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 12:19 a.m.
If Ellsworth and State Street south of Ellsworth are widened, they may as well put in a roundabout, too, in order to keep as many cars as possible moving through the intersection. I wonder if the Speedway gas station was replaced and renovated in anticipation of a Costco store going up on the other side of State Streeet.
McGiver
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 11:18 p.m.
The more time Pittsfield takes the more likely they screw this up. Walmart is an example of what these folks are capable of.
HADES
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 11:15 p.m.
Pittsfield Township is a joke! They need to get their act together!
xmo
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 10:50 p.m.
Is Pittsfield Pro-business and Pro-residents? It does not look like it. Please remember all of the people who are not making this happen when you vote! There must be a lot of money to be made or I am sure Costco would have looked somewhere else where they need jobs and tax revenue!
katie
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 10:07 p.m.
I normally don't like big box stores, and absolutely boycott WalMart for their horrible track record with employees, etc. However, Costco treats their employees well, so I feel ok about them. This will bring jobs and tax revenue. I don't think they will put local businesses out of business, but they will provide an alternative to other big box stores. Are those stores trying to block this?
Justavoice
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 9:59 p.m.
It just amazes me, at a time when everyone is pretty sure they are going to rezone this anyways, that they drag their feet. This is a time to fool with jobs and the tax base. Give me a break. I hope everyone remembers that the next time Pittsfield asks for the more money from the township tax payers! You think the township is taking a play from the Ann Arbor City Council playbook (Let us not forget how much extra money Ann Arbor spent in "studying" Argo dam, instead of spending what it would take to fix it to begin with. drag, drag, drag, spend, spend, spend, oh look we are right where everyone told us we'd be to begin with!) Failure to act, when you know what the final decision is, does nothing but waste everyone money. In this case, taxes, jobs, and the possibility of a larger future tax base. As they would say, get off the pot...
gerald Grzesik
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 9:34 p.m.
Maybe Costo Should walk to the next township maybe they will not give them such a hard time about building a multi- millon dollar invest ment in ther township.
Basic Bob
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 8:54 p.m.
This story was first reported last April: <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/business-review/costco-seeks-to-build-new-store-in-pittsfield-township/">http://www.annarbor.com/business-review/costco-seeks-to-build-new-store-in-pittsfield-township/</a> At that time, review of the master plan had already been in the works for six months. (October 8, 2009) Who would believe that a year later, Costco is nearly dead because the township has NO plan? It's quite arrogant for some readers to defend the actions of the township, a year and a half after beginning work on this project. Dr. Grewal needs to facilitate the completion of the master plan, especially since urban planning is her direct area of expertise.
Hot Sam
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 9:01 p.m.
Absolutely correct. Costco is not the type to bully their way in (ala Wal-Mart). They will leave the are if they don't feel they are wanted. With that said, they are a great corporate neighbor. They take great care of their employees and do a ton of things for the communities they are in. The difference in philosophy between them and Wal-Mart is huge. Pittsfield needs to get it done.
ffej440
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 8:27 p.m.
Better to make sure everything is correct, then leap into a mess like Pittsfield has done in the past. Like the Walmart we didn't want but still got with its messed up entrance/exits or how about the Saline high school they let be built with NO left turn lane.
Joe VD
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 8:24 p.m.
Please come to Kalamazoo, Costco. We're not half as self-satisfied as Pittsfiled or Scio, and we truly appreciate progressive employers. Your ideal location: corner of Drake Rd. and Stadium Drive, in the center of the areas highest income earners. Abandoned Kmart location.
Pablo
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 8:24 p.m.
Do we need -- can someone tell me -- another big box store? Do we need to have policy that punishes the "little person-storwowner" at the expense of BIG business?
Jake C
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 2:41 a.m.
Which nearby "little person store" would a Costco in this location compete with? Super Liquor IV? Taco Bell? Zingerman's Bakehouse? If anything, the increased traffic to the area could help businesses such as Tyner's boost their sales. This Costco doesn't compete with quirky Downtown A2 stores, it competes with the Sam's Club on Carpenter and the other Costco up in Brighton. Maybe Meijer and Wal-Mart too.
Larry Works
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 8:14 p.m.
The failed effort in Scio was a direct result of a highly motivated, small NIMB group who already disliked the increased traffic along Zeeb Road and the Jackson corridor. Most likely they now enjoy the increased shopping options and active new businesses the Boulevard effort has inspired. Not to mention the annual Jackson Cruise. That vocal minority, coupled with apathetic residents (myself included) who assumed it would be a good deal by helping keep residential taxes down in the township resulted in township officials choosing not to take the political risk. At that point, Costco rightfully decided it just wasn't worth the effort. If they ever gave Scio a second chance, I think they'd be surprised at amount of increased support their effort would gather. Much more than any Walmart could ever expect.
wait.think
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:56 p.m.
Costco - if you are reading this... Come on over to Ypsilanti . We've got a master plans in place. We've got open, buildable space for you in either the City or the Township. Three exits to the east on I-94.
Cindy Jones
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:56 p.m.
Please, township officials, let's get on with it and give them approval. Costco would be a welcome addition.
applehazar
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:47 p.m.
And Pittsfield officials want us to vote them a millage increase. Guess my vote ? What don't you understand about the word No? Maybe if you were fiscally responsible - but you turn your head away from a sure tax windfall with Costco - that is not fiscally responsible.
grye
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:38 p.m.
Can you imagine if this was Michigan and some other State vying for some large business opportunity to move here? "We'd really like to have you here but there are a couple of things that need to be worked out." Opportunity lost. The business would go somewhere else. Don't lose this opportunity Pittsfield.
applehazar
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:35 p.m.
Here we go - as I predicted many times. Master Disaster - The so called Master Plan was due in 2010 - then right after January 1, 2011 - now April with 60 a day comment period. The not so funny thing will be - Pittsfield elected officials will approve the plan 1 month after Costco says - forget it - then we can vote them all out. If the consultant had done some work for his fee - he would have known his comments had already been worked out - but since he doesn't live here or care - all he wants is our $$. This is typical Michigan politics. But nothing ever changes. Well it would have been nice to have Costco and jobs in Pittsfield. Officials make me eat my words - by the way - most all tenants have moved out - now we have decaying buildings with no Costco coming.
discgolfgeek
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:35 p.m.
Township officials have had plenty of time to do their master plan -- they are overpaid and if they screw this up, they will be voted out of office.
jcj
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:28 p.m.
Lots of comments here from those that I suspect have never had any experience working with a township, village or city! I can tell you as someone that has run commercial work in Pittsfield, Scio, and Ann Arbor for over 30 years. It never changes they all make it very hard for someone to build in their jurisdiction!
Doug
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:27 p.m.
Costco is a great place to shop. It's tremendously efficient. Talk to the employees and see how highly they regard their jobs and how well they're treated. Costco is an "upscale" Sam's Club. I shop at both places since they carry different stock from each other.
packman
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:24 p.m.
@fjord - Widening State St south of Ellsworth will require some discussion with FAA and MDOT to make sure that the airport approaches to RWY 24 are not impinged upon. Pittsfield Twp is already on record as opposing the proposed airport safety enhancement that includes offsetting the paved Runway to the SW and extending it to a length of 4300'
WesternTownie
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 8 p.m.
Ridiculous. Airports are a vital part of economies. Safety is the major concern for a government. That is, in my opinion, one of their main reasons of being.
Bill
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:19 p.m.
The local townships in Michigan seem incapable to make timely business decisions. I have seen this with Ann Arbor as they force developers to come to meeting after meeting while making costly revisions and changes to their plans. If the township officials were dealing with their own money, I wonder if they would be so slow to respond. Township officials need to forget their "Pittsfield 2010" plan, afterall, it is 2011. Approve the Costco plan and make it a part of "Pittsfield 2012" which perhaps could be accomplished before 2012 is over!
AA
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:17 p.m.
Hey Costco . . . .wait till ya meet the Pittsfield Twp. building inspectors!
ksr48
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:17 p.m.
The last thing Pittsfield needs is a business trying to make an implicit threat and getting the knee-jerk reaction desired (a rush to approve). Real traffic and planning issues are present. People would scream if this government just said "yes" and then later had to fix the mess. Let's do it right the first time. Costco isn't going anywhere.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:18 p.m.
And if they do, good riddance. Good Night and Good Luck
futuremi
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:16 p.m.
Time kills all bad deals......it also means that if Pittsfield cannot get moving on this, Costco could move on to other pastures. They already proven this with Scio Township. Each company allocates so much money for store development, and if things are taking too long or getting too costly they will decide to put their resources elsewhere. The attitude of they will come around wait for township officials to get their act together is a dangerous attitude for townships that want development. The city of Ann Arbor has already proven to be very difficult for developers to work with, and it seems to have worn off on the townships as well.
Chelsea Larry
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:12 p.m.
You snooze, you lose. Scio already lost out. Pittsfield will be next. It seems that the townships of Washtenaw County are so hung up on "controlling development", they control themselves right out of good deals. Then they complain about shrinking tax revenue. Tell you what, there's no added revenue coming on the residential side anytime soon. They'd better take the commercial now while they can.
Mike
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 6:27 p.m.
Good point, Scio did lose out due to "traffic" concerns. They had a great loaction right off the highway that wouldn't have had any effect on trafic. Just too much public pressure. But they won't be shy about asking you to pay higher millages on your property to make up the shortfall
Marshall Applewhite
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 2:34 p.m.
Scio didn't "lose out", Scio "opted out".
Craig Lounsbury
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:11 p.m.
I voted Yes...but i don't live in the township so its not my "fight". My guess with the time kills thing is maybe, maybe, maybe, since they already got rebuffed once in the Ann Arbor area that they may be they should be looking elsewhere.
jcj
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:10 p.m.
I will not shop there if they do build it. But this is the same kind of attitude that the Ann Arbor planning commission usually has. If Pittsfield Township want the store fine but if not say so. In any business deal, I don't care if its someone buying a car, house or a big mack. They are only going to wait so long. "Time kills all bad deals. Good projects will still be good projects whether they happen today or 6 months from now" I disagree. This project did not just start today. It is immaterial to me whether they build it or not. But like most townships, villages or cities. The powers that be seem to take delight in giving you the run around.
fjord
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:10 p.m.
Despite what one might read in the comments section of a certain website, the public has shown overwhelmingly positive response to the prospect of a Costco store in that location. Yes, there are concerns about traffic, and those are legitimate -- but Pittsfield Township would be shooting themselves in the foot if they don't give Costco a green light as soon as possible. If anyone doubts this, try talking to Scio Township officials. I'm one who usually opposes the incursion of more big-box-type stores, but I think a Costco would be a fine addition to this area, assuming there's a plan for widening Ellsworth (as well as State south of Ellsworth) to accommodate the increase in traffic. That's something that should have happened years ago (back in the days when there might actually have been tax dollars to pay for it), and should still happen even without Costco. Get it done!
YHS66
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 6:59 p.m.
We need the jobs!!!!
glimmertwin
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 6:57 p.m.
It simply means time is money. Costco is a business, and delaying their plans is costing them money. The arrogance of these local governments never ceases to amaze me.
glimmertwin
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 8:59 a.m.
That land isn't just waiting for them. I'm sure they have invested money just to have the option on it.
Dalex64
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 8:34 p.m.
It costs them money like this - if their store is delayed by one year, they have lost one year of revenue that would have been generated by that store.
WesternTownie
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:54 p.m.
Why is one company suddenly above the legal standing of the local government?
PittsfieldTwp
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:48 p.m.
Why exactly does delaying this cost them money? There are likely more examples of haste costing more money. I would rather this is done right.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 6:54 p.m.
Then kill it. It's an already overcrowded intersection with problematic traffic issues. Just look at Washtenaw between Huron Parkway and Carpenter for what happens when development happens with little or no concern for traffic flow or for aesthetics. The Pittsfield BofT ought not respond to such threats. Good Night and Good Luck
mun
Sun, Mar 20, 2011 : 3:21 a.m.
The Whole Foods on Washtenaw is a good example of what you're saying. They put it there without planning for parking. Across the street is a huge empty lot.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 9 p.m.
"Kind of like how they narrowed Stadium Blvd between Pauline and Seventh from two lanes to one? Traffic congestion and potential accidents by design....wonderful." Old Stadium: two lanes in each direction. Left lane frequently blocked by traffic making left turns. Cars in left lane going 40 mph screeching to a halt when it comes to car making left turn. Cars darting in and out of left lane in a hurry to make it to the next traffic light. New Stadium: One lane each direction. Dedicated left turn lane. No passing possible. Traffic flow continuous. Yeah, I can see how the "new" Stadium is worse than the old (he says with as much sarcasm as he can muster). Good Night and Good Luck
Mike
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 6:25 p.m.
Kind of like how they narrowed Stadium Blvd between Pauline and Seventh from two lanes to one? Traffic congestion and potential accidents by design....wonderful.
loves_fall
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 3:25 a.m.
I agree with Costco -- local governments move WAY too slow on just about everything. They need to step up and function more efficiently.
HADES
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 11:23 p.m.
It will just hurt Pittsfield Township in the long run if they don't approve Costco. Costco could create more jobs and bring in more money to the area. I believe they did the same thing to Walmart when they were starting out over there at State Street. This story does not surprise me at all. Pittsfield Township is a joke! If I were Costco I would put one somewhere else and tell Pittsfield to shove it!
WesternTownie
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:53 p.m.
Agreed. The audacity of this company to expect they can force government to their own will. I would be fearful of this company essentially pushing out all the other competition and with it the local jobs. In turn, having to work for minimum wage at Cosco. Vote with your Dollar!
FattyJ
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 6:49 p.m.
it's ok, i go to the costco up in brighton. Its only about a 25 mile drive.
PittsfieldTwp
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 6:31 p.m.
I am in favor of this deal happening, but what does that comment supposed to mean? If it's good for Costco's business to be here, then they can wait it out. If the economy improves here while we are waiting, then that further justifies their plan. If it worsens, then all the better for them to be able to change their mind later. To express this haste sounds like they want us to skip over some planning that might be costly to them but beneficial to the township.
Mike
Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 6:23 p.m.
You don't realize what goes on behind the scenes in these "planning reviews". They extort money from these companies for things such as parks, etc. before they'll approve them. They keep asking for more because they have the power to do so. There are plenty of codes and ordinances to contol design and growth. The architects and engineers know how to design a project to meet these requirements; it's all of the extras that get piled on that kill projects. Costco can take the project elsewhere to a community that will appreciate the jobs and tax revenue and don't think they won't
Hot Sam
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 6:11 p.m.
Please do not screw this up...there s not a better neighbor than Costco...
John Q
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 6:04 p.m.
Time kills all bad deals. Good projects will still be good projects whether they happen today or 6 months from now. But I'm sure the defenders of a project that will have minimal impact on property tax revenue and jobs will rush in to harp on the process.
Mike D.
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 10:48 p.m.
Spoken like someone who's never actually done business. Anyone who's done deals of any kind can tell you that timing is everything.