By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

CASCO — It’s a sweetheart of a plan: The expansion into light manufacturing by one of the region’s biggest employers, Hancock Lumber, which has buildings nestled nicely in Casco.

In February, the site plan will go before the Casco Planning Board.

A month before it appears on that agenda, more than a half-dozen representatives from Hancock Lumber provided a presentation about the upcoming expansion to a joint meeting of the Casco Select Board and planning board.

This week, Hancock Lumber President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Paul Wainman laid out longterm plans and provided details of the first phase. 

Essentially, set back from Route 11 on the same side as Leech Hill Road, a 100,000 square foot facility will be the new addition to the Hancock Lumber campus, he said.

The operation will produce wall panels, using lumber from another building on the same side of Route 11, Wainman said. The light manufacturing facility will initially employ 10 to 12 people, he said. Eventually, that space would provide jobs for up to 30 people, he said.

He went over a tentative timeline.

In December, Hancock Lumber submitted its permit application to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). There is a 7-month period to complete that process.

He anticipated that the year-long construction would start in the late summer, which would be July or August. 

“By the fall of next year [2026], we would be up and running,” he said.

Wainman said this was the biggest infrastructural investment that the company has done in a while.

“It demonstrates Hancock Lumber’s longterm commitment to Casco since 1848,” he said. “Obviously, it extends the tax base and brings additional jobs to the community. It gives us an advantage in the market place, and makes Hancock Lumber stronger.”

The facility will be a distance from Route 11 so that it will not be visible from that well-traveled road. The building won’t have a significant impact on the abutters, which are at least a half-mile away. About 7.5 acres will be cleared and developed on a 20+ acre site; while the few hundred acres that Hancock owns will remain as is. 

Every effort will be made to work with groups that use the ATV and snowmobile trails crossing the land and allow that access to continue, Wainman said.

The public’s response to the expansion was positive. Casco residents were glad to have an add-on to an existing business that equals more local, good-paying jobs.

“I’m excited about this. I am psyched you are making a large investment in the Town of Casco,” Planning Board member Tuan Nguyen said.

Resident Sam Brown, who serves on the Open Space Commission and the Comp Plan Implementation Committee, spoke.

“I am really happy to see Hancock Lumber joining us and investing in the community. To see this kind of investment in the future is thrilling,” Brown said.

Rethinking Route 11’s speed limit?

Another big plus to this project is the possibility of the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) working with the town and Hancock Lumber during the construction period to lower the speed limit on that dangerous stretch of Route 11. 

That was a concern brought up by Rae-Anne Nguyen, who serves on both the Comp Plan Implementation Committee and the Casco Safe Streets Committee. Also, she asked if crosswalks might be put in.

Sebago Technics Project Manager Henry Hess fielded her questions.

“From a traffic perspective, about three or four trucks a day would go in and out of the facility,” he said.

Also, the 15 employees will not be coming and going frequently, Hess said. 

“We are submitting a driveway opening permit, so DOT will review this,” he added.

Wainman said the necessary materials, lumber to be made into panels, are located in building on same side of Route 11 as the future facility.

“The materials  . . . come from our lumberyard so no there will not be any cross traffics,” he said.

Wainman stated the company would support a lower speed limit on that section of Route 11.

“We would be delighted if the state lowered the speed limit. We would be delighted if there was a no passing zone through there. The speed limit is 50. People go 70,” he said.

Ward said that the MDOT staff is well aware of Casco’s push to lower speed limits on that sections of Route 11.

“This gives us the opportunity to facilitate that dialogue with DOT,” Ward said.

Preview of plan should ‘eliminate rumors’

Earlier in the evening, Town Manager Ward had introduced the agenda item for Tuesday’s select board meeting.

Hancock Lumber reached out to the town a few months ago and asked for an audience, an opportunity to introduce plans, he said. The objectives were: To get town boards and citizens educated about what the company will be proposing in the future, to provide those groups with a quick overview prior to the plans coming before the planning board and “to eliminate any rumor that sometimes start in a small town,” Ward said.

Wainman laid down the long-range plans.

“It’s a three-phase, multi-year plan. Phase one will come before the planning board,” he said.

Phase 1 is on same side of Route 11 as the retail lumberyard and the home office that was constructed a few years ago.

“Phase 2 is on the sawmill side. It will likely be a second Hancock pro-finish line, where we paint and stain the lumber at our mill,” Wainman said. “Phase 3 is our lumberyard on the same side as our home office. It will be a complete redevelopment of the lumberyard.”

Planning board member Tuan Nguyen asked about the height of the 100,000 square foot facility. He was told it would be about 1-1/2 stories tall, but it would not have a second floor just a high ceiling, according to Hess, with Sebago Technics.

Planning board member Dave Fowler whether the project would use an existing wetland permit or apply for a brand new one.

Hess answered it would be a new permit.

During the presentation, Hess talked about the wetlands.

“Part of the reason we are creating a nice buffer along Poland Springs Road is to limit impacting the wetlands. We are using retaining walls and grading. We will be impacting about 1300 square feet of wetlands,” Hess said.

“We are working to treat the impervious area. When we submit the plans, we will have all the detailed plans on how to manage stormwater on the site,” he said.

Fowler also asked if the planning board could expect any “variances” or requests for waivers.

“No waivers. We are in the commercial zone,” Hess said.

As the agenda item wrapped up, Vice-chair Grant Plummer said, “We are in full support and hope the application [process] goes smoothly.”