Petition Against Dollar General Store Circulating in Portsmouth

A growing number of residents are upset over the planned opening of a new Dollar General store in Portsmouth.

The Zoning Board approved the plan in March and the hearings for two buildings to be erected at the site, located at the corner of Sprague Street and East Main Road, did not attract much attention.

But now, residents and abutters said they are just finding out about the plan now. And some want to keep the store out of town.

“Portsmouth is a rural, farming town, and we want to keep it that way,” said Emily Anne of Portsmouth. “There are many reasons a commercial site on this area of Sprague Street and East Main Road is unsuitable. ”

Anne created a petition on Change.org, which had about 150 signatures as of Monday morning.

Along with claiming they never got notice in the mail, residents said they don’t read legal ads in the newspaper, which helps to explain why so few knew about the plan when it was subject to the hearing process.

Among the concerns, residents note there are other vacant properties in town, the area has a lot of foot traffic, especially during the school year, there are bus stops nearby and the business might not necessarily bring traffic to other local businesses in the area.

“Any local business that has the audacity to say that this procurement will ‘bring business to Portsmouth’, obviously does not know this town, nor do they have the towns best interest at heart. We need to stop tearing down wooded areas. Concrete does not breathe,” Anne said.

It is unclear how much effect the petition might have. The plan has been approved by the town’s Zoning Board and town officials acknowledged that the company is legally entitled to open up shop, like any other person or entity that follows the approval process. The matter is up for Town Council approval at a future meeting.

The Zoning Board, on condition of approval, required that the business limit outside lights, perform some landscaping work and other conditions.

The crux of the opposition revolves on whether the business is a “good fit” for the town. Much like the opposition to the Target store proposed for Portsmouth that was driven away, many believe that Portsmouth’s rural character would be adversely affected by businesses like Dollar General.

Critics have called such businesses “trashy” and belonging in other towns.