By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — On the horizon, a public hearing will be held for the proposed Dollar General store in Naples.

The size of the proposed, prefabricated steel building is 10,640 square feet. The site for the proposed store is between Gary’s Olde Towne Tavern and the Moose Landing Marina. The property is an undeveloped field that has been used to store a trailers and boats.

The Naples Planning Board recently voted to hold a public hearing for the Dollar General application. There was no date attached to that vote since it will be the applicant who schedules that time.

Last week, representatives for the Dollar General application appeared before the planning board for the second time. The matter had been on the agenda as new business on June 18. Then, on Aug. 6, a site walk was held prior to the regularly scheduled meeting at the Naples Town Hall.

The next step is the scheduling of a public hearing as well as the applicant supplying specific information to the town.

On Aug. 6, the planning board voted, 4-0, to deem the application complete; and at the same time, requested that more information be produced. Those in attendance for the vote were: Vice-Chair Martina Witts, Sue Fleck, Martin Zartarian, and alternate Jennifer “Jenn” Leeman. Meanwhile, Planning Board member Robert Fogg recused himself, citing a friendship with the landowner Dan Craffey.

The information being requested includes: An easement deed and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) permit for Site Location of Development Application (SLODA.)  Additionally, the applicant will need to put in writing a request for a waiver to the town’s Parking Lot Ordinance.

“What the planning board is preparing to do is to find it mostly complete. We are waiting on the language of the easement and the DEP SLODA permit,” said Witts, who was chairing the meeting.  

The SLODA law “requires review of development that may have a substantial effect upon the environment. These types of development have been identified by the (Maine State) Legislature, and include developments such as projects occupying more than 20 acres, large structure and subdivision and oil terminal facilities. A permit is issued if the project meets applicable standard addressing areas such as storm water management, groundwater protection, infrastructure, wildlife and fisheries, noise, and unusual natural areas,” according to the Maine DEP website.

During the discussion, some time was spent talking about tree removal and heights and types of fencing as a means to buffer the business from neighbors in the residential area. 

Traffic Talk

Another very important topic on the table was traffic. A traffic movement permit was not required at this location.

One board member expressed a concern that vehicular accidents were highly likely near the incredible busy intersection of Route 302 and Route 35. During the site walk, people used the Moose Landing Marina entrance and drove down a gravel road to get to the property. Therefore, people did not get an idea of how it will be to use the proposed exit onto Route 302.

Main-Land Development Consultants, Inc., President and Senior Engineer Bob Berry went over that section of the application. “To provide a comfort level with board, we went out-of-house. We hired a traffic professional. We are not required to do a Maine DOT traffic study,” Berry said.

The average daily trips is 400 vehicles; and the number of trips during peak hours is 79, Berry said.

Zartarian asked about traffic count for July and August, which would encompass the peak time of year. Those numbers can be provided to the board in the future, Berry agreed.

Planning Board member Fleck suggested limiting left-hand turns. 

“My concern is that without a speed limit adjustment right there and not restricting it to no left turns that we will have a major accident there, a life-threatening accident because of everything going on. There is a major driveway, then there is the light. It is pretty busy right there with the turn lane. People are accustomed to coming up and turning left there. I don’t know how you get through that,” she said, adding, “We weren’t able to access that road today, it was roped off.”

“The turning lane to go to grocery store across the street — in my mind’s eye — is right there. I guess people will go behind those cars. A safer option is no left turn,” Fleck said.

Witts said she took turned right from Gary’s parking lot, instead of risking the left-hand turn during dinnertime traffic. 

Berry said he had no problem pulling out from the marina’s road and making a left-hand turn after the site walk.

“DOT did discuss this particular intersection, this particular stretch of Route 302, and determined that they approved the entrance permit as is. They already reviewed all of that. They discussed the crash rates. I want to be clear: There will be another accident in that area,” he said. “I can’t stop that. I can’t make them change the speed limit. They have their own formula.”

“My opinion is people aren’t patient. They pull out when they ought not to,” he concluded.

Berry said if the 79 trips during peak hour reaches 100 trips, the DOT would review it again.

Naples Town Manager Jason Rogers said if the traffic

Town Planner Ben Smith, owner of North Star Planning, spoke.

“I understand that this doesn’t need a traffic movement permit. It does need a driveway permit. They [MDOT] won’t go out in five years to see if it’s busy or not. This is part of information that you’ll need to determine it will be safe.”

He mentioned the town, if warranted, can make adjustments such as extending the turn lane and/or changing traffic signal timing.

Retention Pond

“I have concerns with the storm-water pond. What is the reason for it being that close to Brandy Pond? Is there vegetation that is going to be disturbed,” Alternate Planning Board member Leeman asked.

Berry replied to her queries.

“Those aren’t structures. The setbacks only apply to structures. It is a grassy slope. It will meet the code,” Berry said,

Leeman said, “My concern is about the water pooling when the water table is high.”

Berry said a high-water table after snowmelt in the spring is a Northeast problem.

“It’s not just in Naples, but all of New England. People ask where the water table is. In April, it is right there under the grass,” Berry said.

“We followed the storm-water pond design standards,” he said. “These are cookie cutter designs straight out of the DEP book.”