QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS  ABOUT DOWLING VILLAGE

 

Q: I’ve heard it’s a done deal.

A:  Not true! They are not even 20% done. The N. Smithfield Town Planner and Dowling Village’s own lawyer acknowledged in writing that the developer must get the Master Plan approved again, due to expansion on the Woonsocket side. This condition was set by the N. Smithfield Planning Board.

 

Q: We need it for tax revenue for our towns.

A.There are better sources of tax revenue. The Valley Alliance is for increased tax revenue. But there are smarter tax revenue generators for the site that won’t give us the traffic nightmares and increased sprawl certain to be caused by Dowling Village. Choices range from a Biotech Park to offices to light industry. With the proposed tax treaty for Dowling Village, which gives away $4 to $7 million of tax dollars to the developer, the revenue from Dowling Village amounts to only $0.22 to $0.30 cents per resident per day – less than 1/10th of a gallon of gas!

 

Q: But it will bring jobs to North Smithfield.

A. The jobs that it will bring are among the lowest paying, not enough to support a family. Chain restaurants pay an average of $12,500 per year. Retail pays only $16,800. Further, while jobs will be added, we will also lose jobs in our small businesses. These job losses need to be taken into account.

 

Q: I’ve heard it’s only a few shops, so why does it matter?

  1. Not true! Dowling Village will include 7 big-box stores and 3 other stores – 39 football fields (40 acres) of shops and parking lots. A big-box store is any store > 50,000 square feet. This is twice the size of Smithfield Crossings!

 

 

DOWLING VILLAGE-LIKE BIG BOX                                 TRUE MIXED USE?

 

 

 


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Q: I’ve heard it’s a community.

A: It’s not. Smart growth favors clustered mixed use of houses, offices, and small shops – a truly walkable, pedestrian community, where people can live, work and shop in the same environment. The 28 football fields of parking lots in Dowling Village are for cars, not people. The buildings aren’t clustered together. See www.growsmartri.com or www.portwarwick.com for more information.

 

Q: It’s only a small group of special interests that opposes it.  We are the majority, and the heart and soul of the community. Three out of four North Smithfield residents feel maintaining small town character is a key quality of life issue. More than half feel that large-scale retail should be discouraged (Visioning Study, 2001). The Valley Alliance itself now has more than 750 supporters, including 111 small businesses. Join us! For more information, see www.valleyallianceri.org.