KENNEBUNK — A major commercial development proposed for Portland Road got one step closer to ground-breaking after Kennebunk’s zoning board rejected an appeal from nearby residents.

The town’s Zoning Board of Appeals on Sept. 10 denied an appeal of four findings made in June by the Site Plan Review Board for the project proposed for 70-72 Portland Road.

Audrey Williamson, whose home on Ross Road is across from the planned entrance and exit to the development, appeared before the zoning board to argue that the project would reduce her property’s value and negatively affect the quality of life of her family and neighbors.

Board Chair Stephen Sayers said Williamson did not provide evidence that her property value would decline, despite a real estate agent’s statement supporting her claim.

The appeal challenged four specific findings made by Kennebunk’s Site Plan Review Board concerning the project’s plans for handling water drainage, pedestrian safety, traffic capacity on surrounding roads and safe road access to and from the development. Williamson said the findings were incorrect.

The zoning board considered each of Williamson’s objections separately. Gregory Orso, attorney for Charles River Realty Group, the project’s developer; Sam Malafronte, assistant project manager for Solli Engineering; and Sayers responded to the various concerns.

In each case, Sayers said the board had not been presented with sufficient evidence to overturn the Site Plan Review Board’s finding. The zoning board voted to uphold each of the four findings.

At the end of the meeting, the zoning board denied all four portions of Williamson’s appeal and dismissed the case.

Chris Osterrieder, Kennebunk’s director of community development and town engineer, said the zoning board has seven days from the Sept. 10 meeting to issue its formal Notice of Decision.

“I believe that the chair is working on a draft and that should be issued in that time frame,” Osterrieder said.

Once the notice is issued, the Williamson family will have 45 days to appeal the zoning board’s decision to Superior Court if they choose to do so.

The developer must also meet several conditions attached to the Site Plan Review Board’s approval before construction can begin. Those include obtaining a traffic permit from the Maine Department of Transportation and participating in a preconstruction meeting with the town.

At this time, the town of Kennebunk does not have a timeline for the traffic permit, though Osterrieder estimated it could be issued within the next month.