By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

If Tuesday night (Jan. 4) was any indicator, 2022 will be another big construction and development year.

Bridgton’s Planning Board filled out their 3-hour meeting with three proposed projects on Portland Road. They include:

• A public hearing was held on Main Eco Homes’ Phase 2 of Lakewood Commons. Developer Justin McIver noted that due to continued significant demand for housing, Phase 1 of the project “has done very well.”

Phase 2 calls for six residential buildings, totally 84 units. McIver noted that seeing the success of the “cottage” development off South High Street, he plans to earmark a unit as “55-plus.” The units will feature similar architectural details to existing units.

The plan also calls for development of three commercial buildings along Route 302, as well as a bowling alley complex with several apartment units above the business. A buffer will be used to separate commercial properties along Route 302 and the residential units.

Roads within the development will interconnect.

An amendment to the subdivision plan calls for land leftover in Phase 1 to be combined with land slated for Phase 2, a needed move to address land cover density standards in town ordinances.

The project will utilize both town water and sewer. In a October 2021 letter, Bridgton Water District Supervisor David Brill saw “no issue” with BWD being able to provide proposed water usage for Phase 2 of the Lakewood Apartments mixed-use development. However, due to changes in the plan presented Tuesday, developers will go back to BWD to see if additional water needs can be met.

With the new wastewater system being extended up Portland Road, the new development will hook in. Since the new WW system is scheduled to be operational in 2023, developers will look at using holding tanks temporarily for the residential units to enable construction to commence once approvals are in place.

On sticky point might be how updated wetland maps could alter the plan due to setback requirements. Planning Board Chairwoman Deb Brusini noted that the new map (created in July and approved by voters in November) is “larger in scale” and “more visible and more obvious” than previous maps used.

“The ordinance does allow physical inspection by the code enforcement officer and wetland scientists to measure in the field, and if it is found it’s not the same (as listed), we can use that evidence,” Brusini said. “One example is the Memory Care facility. There was a stream on a map, but there was no stream observed in the field.”

Resident Mark Lopez cautioned how maps are read and interpreted. “The way it is being read, there would be no Hannaford, McDonald’s, Justin’s office building or Dunkin Donuts,” he said. “We’re investing $20 million to put a sewer line, and not to be able to do anything with it?”

Planners left the hearing “open” to provide developers a chance to return with information sought by the board, as well as time to check whether an abutter had been notified. Planner Greg Watkins noticed that an individual listed as a property owner on the tax map was not listed as an abutter notified (a change of property ownership may have occurred, and a new name is on the notified list).

• Great Northern Docks in Naples will look to create a storage area for aluminum dock components on a 21-acre site off Portland Road, that has frontage on Burnham Road. 

Dustin Roma, representing GND, said the company currently has a temporary agreement with the Town of Naples to use an adjacent lot as a storage area, but is looking for a long-term solution. Roma said a 75-foot wooded buffer along Portland Road would be retained, while a “gravel pad” would be developed on the site, once it is cleared. A 24-foot wide driveway would lead to the site, and if gated, a Knox Box would be included to enable fire department entry.

Since the site would not be a retail destination, no sign is expected.

“This time of year, they do mass production of deck frames and need a place to put them. In the spring, they retrieve the frames and add decking,” Roma said.

Planners questioned if a study of vernal pools at the site had been done and requested a landscape plan, as well as a financial capacity letter.

• NAPA will be looking to build a new store off Portland Road, planners heard in a pre-application session. The undeveloped site is adjacent to the former KJ Variety store. The proposed building would be 8,000 square feet, include 24 parking spaces. Septic and well would be on site.