Planning Commission Presses New CVS to Include All-Night Pharmacy

Plans for CVS to move into a larger location on King Street hit a snag as the company must work to alleviate concerns of the city’s Planning Commission and law enforcers.

The store is requesting that it be able to move into first-floor space at 503 King Street that was recently vacated by national bookstore chain Books-a-Million. CVS would shutter its smaller branch at 323 King Street.

Commission members at a public hearing Tuesday night asked for a 24-hour pharmacy at the new location, should they grant it permission to operate round-the-clock. However, law enforcers expressed concern that a 24-hour operation attracts criminals.

At the hearing, some commission members asked that the store operate from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. rather than its request to operate 24 hours a day.

Developer Kevin McGee who represented his client CVS said the store would prefer to be round-the-clock.

Lt. Mark Bergin was called from the audience to testify that the Police Department has concerns about this request because 47 percent of all reported crimes at the current CVS location on King Street occur after 10 p.m. That location is a 24-hour operation.

“326 King Street is the No. 1 crime location in Old Town,” Bergin said, adding that a bigger location doesn’t necessarily make it more of a crime target but “the late hours make it a concern.”

The commissioners and the CVS representative debated whether a security guard on site would help boost the case for a 24-hour operation. The commissioners continued to press for an all-night pharmacy, which was not in the original proposal from CVS.

Bergin said a civilian security guard would deter casual crooks, but a lot of the theft from the store is for items such as 20 tubes of toothpaste or soap that is then resold. “That kind of theft isn’t usually deterred by a uniform,” he said.

The board decided to recommend approval for the special use permit after amending it to address its concerns. The commission, Planning and Zoning Department and CVS must continue to work out the details before final approval to move into the new site.