BRIDGTON — The Planning Board Tuesday night gave preliminary approval for a 48-unit, low-income senior housing complex at 15 Harrison Road.

According to conceptual plans, the 2 1/2-story complex on 7 acres will include only one-bedroom apartments, with a maximum capacity of two people each. The project will include a small gardening space, as well as some green space and walking paths.

Chair Deb Brusini noted that developers made changes to the plan that the board requested, including adding a 15-minute loading parking spot and widening some vehicle entranceways for fire and rescue access.

Although the proposal meets all of the ordinance requirements, board member Paul Tworog said he wanted to note for the record the size of the building comparable to the surrounding homes.

“Factually, I don’t quite see how the size fits into that part of the town,” Tworog said.

“If we want the project in the town, we want that housing available, we have to accept the fact that it’s going to take a big building,” board member Dee Miller said.

Miller said she also wants to see how the developers will advertise the project to potential renters and the application process involved.

If all goes as planned, construction on the $11 million project will likely begin next June and take about a year to complete, said Laura Reading, director of Affordable Housing at Developers Collaborative.

Reading said that 60% of the units, or 29 units, will be rented to households earning 50% or less of the area median income, or $31,250. The remaining 19 units will be rented to households earning 60% or less of the area median income, or $37,500. The minimum age for the head of household will be 55 years old.

Reading and Michael Tadema-Wielandt of Terradyn Consultants in New Gloucester first submitted the proposal to the town in late March and will now submit an application to Maine Housing, which will determine if the project qualifies for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.

The project is being proposed by Portland-based Developers Collaborative, which focuses on community development projects, including affordable housing options. Other senior housing developments include the 88-unit complex Motherhouse in Portland and 36-unit complex on Griffin Road in Scarborough.

According to the Maine State Housing Authority’s 2020 Qualified Allocation Plan, which identifies municipalities that need greater housing options and includes projects that would qualify for the state low-income tax credit program, Bridgton is a “high opportunity area” with “above average access to health care, services, economic activity and quality education” and has a need for elder housing. The town’s 2014 comprehensive plan shows that there was a 33% increase in residents age 65 and over from 2000 to 2010, according to census data. From 2010 to 2015, there was a 26% increase in the senior population, according to data from the Maine State Planning Office.

In Bridgton, 14% of households are below poverty level, compared to 10% in Cumberland County and 13% in all of Maine, according to data from the Greater Portland Council of Governments. Reading said the information her agency gleaned informed the decision to develop an age- and income-restricted housing complex.

“We had an initial market study that looked at that as well. The comprehensive plan discussed the need for affordable housing in general and senior housing in general and some of the pressure from the second home and seasonal homeowners as well,” Reading said.

The town now has 30 days to complete a review of the proposal to ensure that it meets the requirements necessary for the developers to obtain permits; the project is slated for the Aug. 4 Planning Board meeting.

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