Plans to construct a retirement community and assisted living home with nearly 200 units have been put on hold until at least early next year.

On Monday night, the City Council’s Economic and Community Development Committee voted to refer the zone change requested by the operators of the Springbrook Nursing Care Center to the full City Council, but delayed putting the item on the council’s agenda until at least January.

Councilors voted 6-0 in favor of a motion that would place the matter on the council’s agenda for the first regular meeting in February, or the first special council meeting in January. The council decided not to place the item on the agenda for its Jan. 6 meeting because that is inauguration day, and that meeting is typically free of new business.

Councilor Drew Gattine, who has expressed some concerns about the project and how it would affect a Spring Street neighborhood already facing serious traffic problems, was out of state on business and was absent from the meeting. Gattine represents the ward where the project would be located.

Sandy River Health Systems has asked the city to rezone – from rural to residential growth area 1 – 53 acres it has an option to acquire from the Animal Refuge League. The zone change is necessary, Sandy River officials have said, because the current zoning allows for about one unit per acre, which does not allow for enough housing to make the project worthwhile.

The zone change was brought before the council in August, but it was tabled and sent to the council’s Economic and Community Development Committee for discussion. The item appeared on the council’s agenda for Monday night, pending committee referral. During the committee meeting, Councilor Brendan Rielly said while he was inclined to support the project, he did not want to send it to the council Monday night for a vote because Gattine was not there.

Councilor John O’Hara made a motion to send the zone change to the council for a vote immediately, but that motion failed when the committee’s vote deadlocked at 3-3. Councilors Ann Peoples, Suzanne Joyce and O’Hara voted to send the item to the council. Councilors Rielly, Ed Symbol and Council President Jim Violette voted against sending the zone change to the council.

As a compromise, Symbol then made a motion to refer the zone change to the council, but not place it on the agenda until the regularly scheduled council meeting on Feb. 6, or the first special council meeting called in January if one is called. The committee voted unanimously in favor of this motion.

While they said they understood the committee’s logic in delaying a council vote until Gattine could be present, Sandy River officials were frustrated by the delay. “I wish we could precipitate a vote tonight,” said Michael Prior, one of Sandy River’s owners. “I don’t want to see this wait. It costs us money and it jeopardizes the project, but on the same breath, I respect your decision.”

In other news, the City Council voted unanimously to approve a second vote authorizing approximately $100,000 in change orders for the Westbrook Heights Business Park project.

The city needed council approval on change orders on two separate contracts for the project. The first was an almost $47,000 change to a contract to Gorham Sand and Gravel for off site improvements. The order is for an additional $21,000 due to increased cost for fuel, $21,400 for additional work to rebuild a sewer line on Eisenhower Drive and $4,500 for a video examination of a sewer line connected to the project.

The other change is an almost $55,000 change to a contract with White Brothers, the contactor employed by the city for all the work on the site of the business park. The order is for an additional $25,000 for increased fuel costs, $24,800 for work on an access road and $4,500 for additional water mains and fire hydrants.

Last week, Violette was critical of the changes. He questioned why the council was not consulted prior to the city accepting the changes. He was also concerned that the administration brought the requests to the council so late in the process, and he felt the changes should have been brought to the attention of the council much sooner.

Monday night, Violette said the administration had supplied him with information outlining the timing of the orders and the reasons why they were necessary. He said this additional information made him satisfied that the administration acted properly in seeking the orders.

O’Hara said while he would rather not see any changes being made to the project, he knows they are inevitable. “Change orders are never pleasant,” he said. “But they are reality.”