20 October, 2015
At Day 2 of the Zoning Board of Appeals public hearing regarding CVS moving into 61 main street (the former Colella's building). Board member Margaret Shaw asked about a statute being discussed at the state level regarding pharmacies being referred to as health care services. Attorney Eric Goldberg, representing the appeal of CVS brought the statute before the board to argue that whether pharmacies are retail or healthcare facilities is being discussed at the state level.
Goldberg argued and quoted reports that CVS health (the parent company of CVS Inc.) reported that 70% of their income is from pharmaceutical products; "there are quotes from the executives who are telling the world that we're at 70% pharmacy business now, by design we're going up."
Attorney Marisa L. Pizzi representing Crosspoint Associates rebutted: "if I go to a hardware strore and ask them what kind of automotive product I need for my car, that use doesn't become an automotive body shop or repair shop because i'm asking for that advice." Pizzi argued that sales personal giving advice about products is part of retail.
The board ruled in favor of the appellants as far as the filing being acceptable. The ultimate result however was unanimous against the appeal itself. Vice-Chair Michael Peirce pointed out that the floor plan reminded him of the CVS in Ashland; "I don't see much outpatient diagnosis, there is certainly no significant treatment of mental, there is no treatment of dental or physical conditions, there is certainly no outpatient surgery,, we're talking here that they're not even going to get minute clinics here."
In the end, the Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously agreed that CVS serves substantially more as a retail facility than a healthcare services facility and the building permit issued by Assistant Building Inspector Mike Shepard for CVS at the former Colella's was upheld.
See more from the public hearing in the video below.
