By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

Due to the “size and complexity and potential impact” of the dual project, Planning Board Chair Deb Brusini asked members whether they wanted to hold a public hearing and a site walk. It was a “yes” on both counts.

The public hearing will be held on March 5 (it will be the first item on the agenda, the meeting starts at 5 p.m.).

Initially, planners looked to hold the site walk this Friday, but the developer said if officials want the projected areas flagged, it will require more time to schedule a surveyor. Planners decided on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 1 p.m.

Since planners went the public hearing route, the board asked the developer — Andrew Kurmin of Gorrill Palmer — to give a 10-minute overview rather than a full presentation, which will occur on March 5.

“I would ask the board members not to ask particular questions about the application that would be asked during the review process,” Brusini said. “Mention items you are interested in or advice for the applicant.”

Kurmin noted that the group presented a project sketch plan back in November, and has since filed a development permit with Maine DEP.

The proposed site for the Tractor Supply and Dollar General stores is off Brag Way, somewhat behind the Lampron gas/convenience store (under development) property. 

The site is 8.6 acres with some wetland. An ATV trail presently goes through the site, Kurmin said. Planner Dan Harden later in the meeting asked Kurmin to consider some type of rerouting of the trail as part of the development plan (although as Harden noted, it is not a requirement under the Land Use Ordinance), noting this form of outdoor recreation is an important element in Bridgton.

“We reached out to the Bridgton Easy Riders to start coordination efforts for the ATV and snowmobile trail,” Kurmin said.

The site is in the outer corridor district, which permits resale development. A “small portion” is located within limited residential and limited commercial.

“Based on discussions with the sketch plan, we did end up taking out the truck turnaround area that we had previously proposed that was in that zone,” Kurmin noted. “So now, we’re really just doing limited clearing for that.”

Dollar General will be 10,000-square feet, while Tractor Supply will be 22,000-square feet in size. There will be a shared access entry point. Kurmin said the intent of the design is to split the lot into two parcels and provide separate parking and loading areas for each facility. Dollar General will have 34 parking spaces, and Tractor Supply 78.

“Given the amount of traffic for the site, we will be submitting a traffic movement permit through Maine DOT. We anticipate rebuilding and paving approximately 500 feet of Brag Way and moderate modifying the median island on Portland Road to allow the larger delivery trucks to access the site,” Kurmin said.

Planner Cathy DiPietro responded, “I can just imagine someone trying to take a left hand turn from Portland Road onto Brag Way with cars speeding by at 50 miles per hour, which they do at that particular location near Nouria (the Lil Mart, currently under redevelopment).”

There will also be separate utilities, stormwater management facilities, onsite wells and above-ground propane tanks. Kurmin added that the Tractor Supply store will require an underground storage tank for the sprinkler system.

Regarding existing wetlands, Kurmin said an environmental study shows that the wetlands “appear to be manmade from a huge timber harvesting that happened about 20 years ago” and some “were not deemed significant.” The developers did contact Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife regarding any endangered species on this site, and were told “there weren’t any special species of concern.” The Blanding’s turtle was a species on the state map, but staff officials “don’t anticipate there being any habitats for those turtles on site,” Kurmin added.

Planner Ken Gibbs raised question about the five-spotted salamanders that were seen. Keeping with her initial charge that members request information, not pose questions, she asked Kurmin to report back on whether “there will be any impact on the vernal pool and the salamanders in that pool.”

“I know it’s an artificially created vernal pool, but it’s still a vernal pool,” she added. “So, could you let us know what kind of activities might happen around that and whether or not it would be preserved?”

The site will use “dark sky lighting,” which Kurmin said received a thumbs up from an abutter.

Planner Dee Miller requested and was allowed to enter published articles regarding Dollar General and the state of “dollar stores” into the project file, which is available for public review.

Brusini cautioned board members that as they read such articles, “it’s general information” and “we do need to make sure it is directly related to a (town land use) standard of approval in some form.”

Other topics mentioned included distances from the project to wells at the Nouria site, landscaping buffers, solid waste removal, and road signage.