The Portland Planning Board unanimously recommended rezoning the former Portland Co. complex on Tuesday night, putting developers one step closer to winning approval of a massive, long-term project to reshape the 10-acre site.

The vote after more than two hours of public testimony and queries from the board fielded by Portland-based developer CPB2 LLC capped a contentious public process, in which Munjoy Hill residents raised objections to the potential interruption of sweeping views of Portland Harbor from Fore Street by taller buildings, among other concerns.

The zoning recommendation now will go before the Portland City Council for a final vote.

“We have a long road in front of us, but we’re certainly looking forward to working with the city and the public,” Jim Brady, a principal partner at CPB2, said following the vote.

The developer, which purchased the landmark property in August 2013, last week agreed to change some provisions of its request to appease the neighbors, including assurances that any future buildings along Fore Street would rise no taller than 35 feet above street level, and exclude those buildings from housing brew pubs and microbreweries, as well as restrict the hours of any restaurants to be located there in the future.

Rezoning the property was recommended in a 2004 Eastern Waterfront Master Plan, and will open up the site to new uses, including residences.

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Brady and his partners have promised to create “an economically viable landmark destination” for the city, opening up the former industrial site to new avenues of public access.

Also at the meeting on Tuesday, the Portland Historic Preservation Board indicated it will consider designating the site as a historic district, itself a detailed process that is to begin March 18 and could affect the development.

Before voting on its recommendation, members of the planning board heard testimony from several residents of Munjoy Hill, who have organized into a loosely affiliated group, “Keep the Soul of Portland in the Portland Company.”

Those residents presented their last, best case for restricting height along Fore Street, reiterating complaints that granting the zoning change would give the developers the power to sell views of the harbor that belong to the public, and are intrinsic to the character of the Munjoy Hill neighborhood.

Neighbors said that CPB2 has not provided detailed information about what it plans to build, while the developer has argued that it needs the zoning approval before it can make detailed plans.

To address those concerns, CPB2 added language to its zoning request that would encourage any future buildings along Fore Street to be broken into smaller sections, to prevent the construction of a monolithic wall where there was once open space, in addition to the use restrictions around brew pubs, microbreweries and restaurants.

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Planning Board Chair Stuart O’Brien, in brief comments before the vote, said that in implementing re-zoning decisions, no one can predict what private developers will do with the constraints that are put forth.

“It’s a forward-looking enterprise, O’Brien said. “When you adopt zoning you don’t have a crystal ball.”

Despite these concessions, residents who spoke Tuesday focused largely on their obstructions of the view of Portland Harbor.

Munjoy Hill resident Mike Connolly said approving the zoning would cede the privilege of the coastal vistas to those wealthy enough to buy property in the future development.

“These views are precious, and once they’re gone, they’re gone forever,” he said.

 


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