Dollar General hearings rescheduled; help for flood victims

The Chester Development Review Board has rescheduled a hearing on subdividing the Zachary’s Pizza House property to accommodate a 9,100-square-foot Dollar General store to Monday Sept. 26. The meeting had been set for Monday Sept. 12. The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 556 Elm St.

The hearing on the Dollar General conditional use permit was also to have been held on Sept. 12. A next hearing on that issue has yet to be determined, but the board is considering an early October date.

The 10-acre parcel at 319 Main St. (VT Rt. 103), which is owned by Zachary’s, would be subdivided to accommodate the Dollar General. The Dollar General then would purchase more than an acre to construct the building and its own parking lot to accommodate 31 spaces.

Representatives of the Dollar General corporation said the initial plan is for the peaked-roof store to face Main Street. The store name in individual letters would be lit from the top with down-lights. Lights would turn on at 7 a.m. and turn off at 10 p.m., with the store hours set for 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., 7 days a week.  Parking lot lights would be 16 feet tall. Zachary’s parking lot lights are 12 feet tall.  Below the sign would be the glass front door straddled by two faux windows.

The Chester Development Review Board reviews all development applications for the town including subdivisions, variances, conditional uses, zoning administrator appeals and site plan reviews.

You can post your comments on these and other topics below.

HELP FOR FLOOD VICTIMS

Do you need help following the floods caused by Tropical Storm Irene and the later rains?

The Chester-Andover Family Center, 656 Depot St., is offering food, emergency assistance, clothing and household items.You can also call the center at 1-802-875-3236. Also, the center is taking in donations to help victims.

Also, the Vermont Tourism Department sends this along: If you are a business (for-profit; non-profit; multi-family housing provider, etc.) call 802-828-3211. To report damage to your business or to inquire about additional resources available, please call 802-828-3211. There is also a system set up to document damage to businesses and properties in order to assist FEMA with information collection.For links to all Irene-related resources, go to VermontPartners:

Here’s another local resource for giving and getting help — www.vtexchange.org

VTICA FLOOD PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT

The Vermont Institute of Contemporary Arts is compiling a photographic essay on the Terrible Destructive Power of Hurricane Irene in Vermont, chronicling the storm and the heroic efforts by ordinary Vermonters to recover from it. This photographic essay will witness the impact of the storm, especially in South Central Vermont, for public display and comment at the VTica Open House on Oct. 1 & 2, at 15 Depot St. in Chester.

    All photographers, amateur and professional alike, are invited to submit their photographs of the storm, its impact and recovery efforts. Send a PDF file of your image to abby.r@VTica.org. Limit your submission to no more than 3 images. All work will be reviewed to avoid duplicatation. Once accepted, you will be asked to provide a finished print ready to be hung.
The final submissions should be dropped off at VTica, 15 Depot St., 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday Sept. 25th and Monday Sept. 26th. Questions? Email abby at abby.r@VTica.org. Become a part of the community memory of this historic event.