Brunswick’s Zoning Board of Appeals on Tuesday night rejected all arguments except one in the appeal against affordable housing development Wilbur’s Woods.
After an hour and half of deliberations, the Zoning Board sent argument six of the appeal, which contended that the 18-unit apartment building planned for the development was not compatible with the neighborhood, back to the Planning Board for further review. The remaining 12 arguments listed in the appeal were denied.
“I guess I’m pleased with the results,” said Chris Teel, the Brunswick resident who filed the appeal on behalf of 52 neighbors to the property. Teel said more action, including a legal response, may be taken by affected residents.
Other opponents, including Shaun Hogan, saw the decision as a “small victory.” However, Hogan questioned whether argument of traffic safety — item three on the appeal — was sufficiently reviewed.
Argument three was the only item rejected that received a dissenting vote from board member Michelle Dolly. Dolly cited concerns that the Planning Board did not consider other types of traffic, such as bicycles and pedestrians, when reviewing the submitted traffic study on Mckeen Street.
“I really wish the town would do more assessment — get more facts,” Dolly said. “I don’t feel like the Planning Board did their job on this issue.”
This hearing, much like the first, drew frequent interjections from the public, particularly to votes on the appeal.
“As I’ve said multiple times, I appreciate that these matters are important to people. I hope that the audience and those here and elsewhere can respect that what we’re trying to do is fulfill our obligation and review things under the ordinance,” Chairperson Nicholas Livesay said in response to one interruption. “If we got it wrong, you can go to court. But I spent quite a bit of time, I looked at the standards, and I don’t see it.”
The appeal was filed earlier this year after the Planning Board approved Wilbur’s Woods through the Streamlined Major Development Review process — which is now under a 180-day moratorium — on Jan. 9. The decision sparked outrage among residents who spoke out against the project during the public meeting.
The appeal listed 13 arguments, citing traffic safety concerns, unreasonable stress on the town’s resources and that the 18-unit apartment building planned for the final phase of the development was inappropriate for the neighborhood. The appeal also listed an argument suggesting low-income renters would not take care of the neighborhood like homeowners would.
The development planned for McKeen Street includes 21 houses in addition to the apartment building. A majority of these homes — priced below the market rate at $325,000 — have already been reserved by potential buyers.
According to Keller Williams real estate agent Alex Wiss, all homes save two have already been reserved with a deposit. Given the pricing, he said, he gets calls weekly from buyers who are interested in moving into the development.
The affordable housing project was set to start building this spring, though the developer, GreenMars, said that construction is now likely to begin between July and August, given the delays caused by the appeal. GreenMars said that delays such as this can potentially harm affordable housing development.
“That kind of delay not only jeopardizes the future of this project, but it’s also a big deterrent to future projects. Builders just don’t want to take the risk. Why should they? Maine is a desirable place to live, and luxury housing is in demand. But this won’t solve Maine’s housing crisis,” GreenMars said in a statement leading up to Tuesday’s hearing. “What will help is changing attitudes about affordable housing so that more people welcome economic diversity into their neighborhoods.”
The Wilbur’s Woods appeal is now pending as the Planning Board conducts a second review. Land Use Planner Natalie Thomsen said that the public meeting will be held on May 14, and abutters will be notified. Whether or not there will be public comment is still unclear.
Correction: This article has been updated to correct the name of one of the speakers at the meeting, Shaun Hogan. This was caused by a reporting error.
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