On June 7, the Standish Planning Board conditionally approved at 1:50 a.m., the site plan for Pit Stop Fuels. Since then, I have heard time and time again that a “gas station” was approved, but in fact, much more than just a gas station was approved. Let me explain. On the proposed 2.6 acre site, which will need over 17,000 sq. ft. of wetland fill, will be a convenience store, an office, 12 fueling stations – two of which will be diesel, a 40 ft. x 75 ft. canopy and what the developer called a “bulk plant” or fuel warehouse, for home heating fuel, with a loading rack, and another approximately 17 ft. x 24 ft. canopy over that – all of this, in Standish’s Village Center!

Where does one typically see a station that size? Across the street from a Wal-Mart Super Center, or next door to a Home Depot, Forest Ave. in Portland, and on Rt. 1 in Scarborough or…you get the picture. Is this type of development suitable for a New England Village Center? Is it compatible with neighboring residents, municipal activities, the adjacent Historical District and businesses? How can a fuel warehouse be approved when it is not a permittable use according to the Standish Land Use Code?

At the June 6 Planning Board meeting, the room was packed with citizens who wished to learn about the proposed project and share their concerns. What they discovered was in order for the project to have enough land, part of the neighboring Colonial Marketplace buffer has to be transferred to the developer. Much of the natural buffer that screens the Marketplace from Route 25 will be disturbed and paved. It took the members of the Planning Board, even with compelling arguments from past board members and other citizens who were familiar with the Colonial Marketplace plans, and without reviewing the original plans, a mere matter of minutes to approve this transfer. This hasty, thoughtless decision sets a very dangerous precedent for the Town.

What about the environment? Much of the proposed site is wetland. Water doesn’t infiltrate on this site. When all this land is filled and paved, what will happen to this water with the MBTE and other fuel pollutants typical of fueling stations? The members of Planning Board don’t know. The town planner said he didn’t have the topography needed to approve the plan for the quantity of storm water management and he didn’t have the expertise to evaluate the quality of the storm water. But, the board conditionally approved the project without the normally requested peer review.

The Planning Board abdicated its responsibility to a state agency, DEP. Why? The burden of proof is supposed to be on the applicant. As proposed, the run-off, with the fuel pollutants and road sand and salt, will empty into the North Branch of the Little River and then into the Presumpscot River.

There are numerous traffic concerns as well. Route 25, the main street through the village and a commuter corridor, will be widened and have a westbound left turn lane. How this impacts landowners and businesses along this section of road have yet to be considered. This lane may serve Pit Stop Fuels conveniently but adversely affect existing landowners and businesses across the street. Surely, this additional lane is not characteristic of a village center, it is the beginning of commercial strip! Interior traffic flow also seems problematic. Trucks delivering fuel and goods to the convenience store will have to pass through the fueling stations because the turning radius is so tight. What if other vehicles are fueling up? The truck will have to wait, and block others, or cut through into Colonial Marketplace. If the parking spaces intended for employees and customers are full (which in business one would hope they would be), the trucks would not have the needed turning radius to negotiate the turn. They would be forced to exit through the Marketplace. (This type of business is based on the quantity of fuel sold. If the business grows, the gallons of fuel are increased, which, in turn, means more truck traffic.) What if the owner of the Colonial Marketplace doesn’t like the added traffic through his property? Can he block the exit? Has an easement been granted? Does anyone know? Additionally, pedestrians will have to walk past the traffic cutting through to and from the adjacent shopping center and past all the fueling stations to get to the convenience store. Somehow, that doesn’t seem convenient or even safe.

At every planning meeting for this site plan, there has been a long list of deficiencies and problems with this plan and many that have yet to be worked out. For voicing our concerns about the size and scope of this project in the Village Center District, we have been accused of being misinformed and anti-development. On the contrary, we want responsible development in Standish. Market research has shown that an aesthetically pleasing and well-organized space pays off in the pocketbook. It becomes a destination for consumers and other businesses. The design principles of architectural detail, lighting, signage, and landscape all impact the feel of a space and influence whether one wants to linger and shop, or rush to leave. A fueling station, a permitted use within this zone, could be designed to be attractive, functional, safe and compatible with the village if it were downscaled to 6 or 8 fueling stations, and it would have much less of an impact on Rt. 25 and the Colonial Marketplace exit road.

There is plenty of room for growth in Standish. Past Planning Boards have successfully integrated Colonial Marketplace, Dunkin Donuts, Subway and the Standish Veterinary Clinic. They have proven that future development doesn’t have to compromise the character of our Village Center. Standish citizens must demand thoughtful and thorough planning to ensure this character is preserved. There is more to this project than just a “gas station.” Ask questions. Get the facts. Your town needs you.

Peter and Carolyn Biegel

Citizens for Responsible Development in the Standish Village Center