By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

CASCO — The Old Mill Farms project got the thumbs-up from two Casco boards as well as a comment on how it’s a much-needed revitalization for the north end of the Village.

Casco selectman Robert MacDonald said the project will do away with worn-down buildings and bring something aesthetically pleasing to that end of the village.  

“The Spurwink School had been there for a few years — empty. It is a blight in that area of town,” MacDonald said. “We want to present an image that when people come into town, they see something nice.”

The project would require the demolition of two abandoned buildings (the Spurwink School building and Hancock Lumber’s old offices) and the construction of five cottage-style single-family homes.

Selectman Scott Avery commented.

“This is a well laid out plan. The buildings (homes) look like what I’d expect them to be in the Casco Village,” Avery said. 

Meanwhile, planning board chairman Stan Buchanan said he was glad that work was being given to local businesses.

“I like that you are using a lot of local people in the development of the property. That is a big plus,” he said. 

Some of the local businesses that will be on the project team are Main Eco Homes, out of Bridgton, and RNWilley & Sons Excavating from Casco.

On Thursday, Feb. 4, there was a joint meeting of the Casco Board of Selectmen and the Casco Planning Board to approve a contract zone agreement with Hancock Leasing, LLC. 

The selectmen voted, 4-0, that it had reached a substantial agreement of the draft contract zone agreement. The planning board voted, 3-0, in favor of the same motion.  

Essentially, the contract zone agreement states that the developers will be allowed to do something that is against the Town Ordinance. This is concerning 1.) the net residential density requirement based on square footage, and 2.) the minimum setbacks from the roads.

As laid out in the contract zone agreement: The town will reduce the setbacks along Meadow Road and Edes Falls Road from 40 feet to 20 feet.

On Thursday, Hancock Lumber President Paul Wainman provided the presentation. 

It was pointed out that the former Hancock Lumber office is only 13 feet from Meadow Road (Route 121) is at its closest point 15 feet, 3 inches past the right of way setback line

“We are actually improving the setback, and taking away the property near the roadside,” Wainman said.

A majority of the proposed homes will have setbacks of more than 20 feet: 38 foot, 46-foot and a 100-foot setback. However, two units will have a 21-foot setback from Edes Falls Road.

Also, the homes will be closer than allowable by ordinance. Per the agreement, the net residential density requirement is reduced to 17,200 square feet per unit. 

The developer has illustrated that more human and vehicular traffic occurred on the two lots when Spurwink School and the Hancock office were in operation. 

The developer chose Scott Simons Architects to design the homes.

“They did the home office at the lumber mill. The New England architecture is so important in this project,” Wainman said. 

“It’s not just an approval for us. But we want the whole community to be involved,” Wainman said. “It obviously is attractive for the people who live there, but also attractive for the village, and the people living off Edes Fall Road.”

During the presentation on Thursday and also during earlier presentations by Kevin Hancock, it was stated if there were any profits from the sales of the homes, Hancock Leasing, LLC, would use the profits to invest in the village. Some examples were donating money to bolster the library’s funding or the community center’s budget.

Buchanan asked if the town should get that in writing. 

“We’ve heard several times about the projectitself and the generosityof Hancock . . . if there are any profits that they would turn those over to the town. Do the selectmen want to have something in the agreed contract about that? Yes or No,” Buchanan said.

Casco Interim Town Manager Don Gerrish had already poised that question to legal counsel. 

“The town attorney told me that specific issues aren’t for a planning board to decide.  That would be something that Hancock would have to look at. You really cannot force them to do it in a contract or not,” Gerrish said. “That is why it is not included in a contract. You have their word.”

A public hearing on the Old Mill Farms Project has been scheduled for March 8, starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Casco Community Center gym.