Debate continues over Milton shopping center

Ahead of the zoning vote next Tuesday, debate continues over the construction of the Overbrook Town Center. Kim Pezeli, who has lived her whole life in the Milton area, says she’s seen a lot of changes in that span. One she says she does not want to see, is a shopping center across the street from her pet grooming business, asking “they’re running out of farm land -and building up a parking lot -really?”

The proposed “Overbrook Town Center” would use nearly 80% of the 114-acre property for parking, according to informational website know-otc.org. Eric Price works at Dawn’s Country Market, also across the street from where the shopping center would be. He says an 849-thousand sq. ft. shopping center simply is not necessary in Milton. However, Price thinks the location is the biggest problem, saying “this land backs up to the wetlands – and that can affect a lot of the wildlife back there, and I think people need to have a second thought about it”.

Those in support of construction, clearly have given plenty of thought to certain aspects of the project. They say it will vastly help the local economy, by not only keeping people in Milton to do their shopping, but also drawing outsiders into Milton.

But what might be good for many, isn’t necessarily good for all. Pezeli says “nobody’s going to come here because this will probably be torn down too you know it affects my livelihood because I’m at a certain age it would be hard to find another job you know”.

She hopes the possibility of losing her business is not a casualty of the economic development of the town she calls home.