Politics & Government
Residents Speak Out About New CVS Pharmacy in Maplewood
Residents raised concerns about adequate barriers between their homes and a new CVS pharmacy possibly going in near their neighborhood.
A plan to rezone 7468 Manchester Road into a planned unit development (PUD) for a proposed CVS Pharmacy was approved during Tuesday night's Maplewood City Council meeting.
A has proposed to take over the space at , which covers 2.08 acres of developed land and .656 acres of undeveloped land east of Big Bend Boulevard for future development.
During a public hearing at the meeting, a group of residents from the neighborhood behind the development—at the corner of Big Bend and Hazel Avenue—voiced concerns about living near the pharmacy.
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While some residents asked city council about better barriers between their neighborhood and the business center, others rejected the idea of the pharmacy completely.
"I've lived on that street for a long time," resident Jack Warner said. "Traffic is terrible now, and putting a business in that creates more intense traffic is just not a good idea."
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David Johnson said he plans to move out of Maplewood entirely due to a lack of landscaping and too much street litter.
"Every other Sunday my family and I are out there picking up trash," said Johnson, who lives on Hazel with his wife and two children. "Imagine what it's going to be like with a 24/7 pharmacy."
By zoning the property as a PUD, the city has more control over potential changes like barriers and lighting, Mayor James White said.
At a , members weren't as concerned about the neighborhood because they believed residents have grown accustomed to being located next to the car dealership. The rezoning process wouldn't touch their properties either.
At this meeting, however, council members amended their requirements of the CVS proposal to include either/or:
- A complete repair of the current fence barrier
- A new six-foot wooden privacy fence to replace the old barrier
City Manager Marty Corcoran reminded residents at the meeting that the CVS proposal still has to go through several more steps before final approval.
No other proposals have been made to take over the space.
CVS representatives were not present at the meeting.
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