KENNEBUNK – A public hearing held by Kennebunk’s Site Plan Review Board gave the go-ahead to the proposed Ross Road development but fueled public frustration with the town’s zoning ordinance process and the nature and power of the board itself.
Forty-five people attended the June 18 public hearing to ask questions and express concerns about the planned commercial development at the corner of Ross Road and Portland Road (Route 1). This was the third step in the process. Prior to Thursday’s meeting, the Site Plan Review Board found the application to be complete on May 21. A site walk was held on May 30.
The meeting was not simultaneously streamed nor recorded for future review “due to a staffing issue,” according to Tina Radel, Kennebunk’s communications and marketing specialist, adding, “I am waiting on an audio recording from the community development department, which I will convert and make available on our Cablecast platform as soon as possible. It will take some time to process.”
A Town Planner memo dated June 10 explained the purpose of Thursday night’s meeting: “The Board should listen to the applicant’s presentation, and ask any necessary questions prior to opening the public hearing. Depending on the level of public input, the Board may choose to either continue the public hearing for the next meeting or close the public hearing.” The Site Plan Review Board did not choose to continue the hearing in spite of substantial pushback from the public.
The public hearing was opened at 8:05 p.m. after a detailed overview of the project and a discussion of granted project waivers.
Tom Errico, a resident of Park Street and traffic engineer who had spoken at previous Site Plan Review Board meetings, requested that the board not make their decision that night. He said a substantial number of explanatory documents were not available until Monday when the agenda was posted, which did not give citizens enough time to review them. He implored the board to “focus on the process.”
Elizabeth Kaknes, resident of Ross Road, expressed numerous concerns. She questioned the project’s effect on the health and safety of Kennebunk residents, the land-taking and consequences of widening Ross Road, the projected revenue, light pollution at night, increased pressures on town emergency services, and the increased traffic burden on residents of The Farragut and the Huntington Commons senior living and memory care complex.
Currently, Ross Road receives substantial car, truck and recreational vehicle traffic. The expected, increased burden on the roadway was brought up time and again. Carrie Alford, a Ross Road resident who will be directly impacted by the project, said, “I have to wait five minutes to get out of my driveway now.”
Alford also dreaded the impacts of site preparation and building, saying, “Our house has a 78-year-old foundation, which would be hugely impacted by construction.” She also feared for her neighbor’s 125-year-old home, saying, “It could mean catastrophic failure of their foundation.” Degraded air quality and noise pollution stemming from construction work were also cited as worries.
Sam Malafronte, assistant project manager for Solli Engineering, addressed some of the accumulating concerns. He noted that the widening of Ross Road would take place on the north side of the road and would only use the town’s right of way. There would be no eminent domain takings. Lights will be LED and dark-skies compliant. The economic benefit to the town is estimated to generate $60-$100,000 in tax revenue.
Planning Board member Janice Vance noted “I saw no references to snow storage anywhere, which our design standards require. There is no dumpster at the bank building. Parking along the main driveway through the complex requires drivers to back up into the traffic lane in order to exit.” Vance asked why sidewalks had not been extended around the entire property but were limited to just the middle section. It appeared to her that pedestrians would be forced to walk through multiple drive-thru entrances/exits. She asked if the soil at the machine shop had been tested for toxins.
Vance additionally stated that the brick house and barn on the property were built in 1830. The house qualifies for listing on the National Register of Historic Places and is noted in Kennebunk’s Comprehensive Plan. Her concerns for the buildings and opportunities to move them or at least reuse their materials were discussed in detail when the Planning Board had jurisdiction over the project prior to the Site Plan Review Board. She felt the developer did not address her points and the Site Plan Review Board “didn’t bring them up, either.”
About halfway through the meeting, Site Plan Review Board member Albert Kolff displayed his own engineering rendering. He envisioned widening to take place on the south side of Ross Road, the developer’s land, instead of consuming the town’s right of way in front of residents’ homes. Carrie Alfond commented that with widening the north side, plantings would be lost, old trees would have to be cut down, and her bedroom window would be 22 feet from the road.
Kolff’s plan was not seen as viable to the developers. Town Engineer Chris Osterrieder doubted that the Maine Department of Transportation would ever consider the alternative proposal. The idea was dropped.
At 11:42 p.m., the public hearing was closed, and findings were read and largely accepted by the board. Albert Kolff sympathized with the speakers and in the end was the sole dissenter. Board member Keith Hafer stated that although he had substantial reservations, because the applicant had fulfilled their obligations, he had to vote yes. The board gave their final approval, 3-1 at 12:20 a.m.
After the meeting, Audrey Williamson stated: “The meeting was a total waste of time because the decision had already been made. I don’t think they, a five-member volunteer board, should have the responsibility for a project of this magnitude. It will change the whole fabric of the community.”
After-meeting comments confirmed that Kennebunk’s planning processes are being examined. Residents are investigating appeals and exploring if a town-wide vote is an option. Confusion remains as to why the project was shifted from the Planning Board to the Site Plan Review Board and if that affected the outcome.
Residents are demanding answers as to why the development’s primary entrance and exit have to be located on Ross Road versus the substantially larger Portland Road, if the Maine Department of Transportation could be persuaded to further assess safety and traffic concerns, and if anyone truly cares about property and quality of life impacts on residents.
Supplemental Information:
Town of Kennebunk Zoning Ordinance: Article 11: Site Plan Review:
https://www.kennebunkmaine.us/DocumentCenter/View/15766/ARTICLE-11-
May 14 The Local News article:
May 28 The Local News article:
