The revised site plan for Phase 2 of Blue Spruce Farm was met with a mixture of criticism and support by the Westbrook Planning Board this week, as developer Risbara Bros. unveiled detailed plans for the additional 110 market-rate apartments at the subdivision.

In response to a number of critiques from both Planning Board members and residents regarding Phase 1, Risbara presented a revised design Tuesday for its three-story multi-unit buildings, as well as new open-space amenities, including a dog park and community garden, which were well received.

Phase 2 will feature 108 units in nine buildings, dubbed “Autumn Woods Apartments,” with a private road extending from Phase 1. Two units will also be included in the former landowner’s home.

Despite the new architecture, concerns over the uniform design and large scale of the buildings remained among some board members. Risbara’s new design, which was also recently used in a plan for apartments in South Portland, features faux chimneys to break up the roof line, two-toned colored siding and other changes to soften the building and reduce scale.

However, some board members, including Rebecca Dillon and Robin Tannenbaum, pushed for Risbara to look at more ways to break up the scale.

“I think there’s more that needs to be done to try to make these appealing from the street and break them up more,” Dillon said.

Tannenbaum said that while there is a large buffer included in the design, the Middle Street neighborhood should still be included in the context of the surrounding area.

The nine buildings are proposed on an L-shaped piece of land between Phase 1 and the existing residential neighborhood including Maple and Middle streets, and many concerns were related to the potential visual impact on those homes. The site plan calls for setbacks of more than 200 feet from the property line, which developer Rocco Risbara said was the maximum they could work with.

Risbara said he felt strongly that his company was responsive to comments and proposed changes within “a model that works.”

“I’m nervous that I’d be building something I can’t afford,” he told the board.

Phase 1, which is still under construction, includes 196 units of apartments and single-family homes. The project has sparked a community-wide discussion on the rate of development in Westbrook, and has led city officials to look at impact fees and potential changes to the land-use ordinance.

Board member Dennis Isherwood also commented on the plans Tuesday, stating that he’d prefer the mixture of housing in Phase 1.

Comparing it to the surrounding neighborhood, Isherwood said, “This isn’t even compatible to Phase 1, because there’s no single-family homes.”

The Phase 2 plans also call for four, five-bay garages.

A public hearing on the project will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m.

Risbara also hosted a public informational meeting Monday at Husson University, which was attended by only seven neighboring residents. A Planning Board site walk was also held earlier this month.

Keith Smith, a Yarmouth-based landscape architect, also presented plans Tuesday, including specific plantings. Board members supported his proposals, which call  for clumps of blueberry and raspberry bushes, and picnic tables placed throughout the parcel.

An enrollment study from Portland-based Planning Decisions has predicted that the city could expect three school-aged children in Phase 2, due to the type of housing and number of bedrooms. Each building has six one-bedroom units and six two-bedroom units.

Nancy St. Clair, of the development team, told the board that in 102 of 146 apartments in Phase 1 that are either committed or occupied, there are two children, with one attending school in Westbrook.

Middle Street resident Flynn Ross, who has been a vocal member of a citizen group called Westbrook Forward, said she supported the additional recreational amenities, but criticized the city’s land-use ordinance regarding density, and said residents’ concerns had not been properly represented in the meeting minutes from previous public meetings.

On Wednesday, Risbara said he believes his team made “good progress” with the project while receiving constructive comments from board members. He also said discussion over the visual appeal of the proposed buildings is difficult due to differing views on personal taste.

Following discussion on Blue Spruce, the Planning Board was set to have its first official look at possible changes to Westbrook’s land-use ordinance. Last week, a public meeting was held by city officials to take public input from residents. Some 25 people attended.

Risbara Bros. is proposing a new building design for Phase 2 of its Blue Spruce Farm subdivision off Spring Street in Westbrook. The second phase will include 108 market rate apartments in nine buildings.