Saco could add over 200 new housing units over the next few years.
At a Planning Board meeting on Jan. 30, the board discussed three different potential housing projects coming to the city.
Two of the projects would include affordable housing.
The largest project discussed last week is a residential development project on Waterfall Drive in Saco. Proposed by Park North Development, the project would include 195 residential units.
Most of the development would consist of single-family homes, with the project proposing 79 single-family homes. The project would also have 44 duplex units in 22 duplex buildings, 48 townhouse units in two 24-unit townhouse buildings, and 24 apartment units in two 12-unit buildings.
The project is not proposed as an affordable housing project. Recently, the applicant received its review from Saco city staff and other utilities for the project.
Last week, the Planning Board voted to continue its public hearing on the project at the next meeting on Feb. 18.
The Planning Board also heard a proposal last week for a project located at 439 Main St. Proposed by BH2M and J Brown Investments, the project would revert the interior of an existing building into residential apartments.
Austin Fagan, a member of the applicant team, said that four of the seven units would be marketed as affordable.
“It will utilize the affordable housing portion of the ordinance,” Fagan said. “The units will be marketed at an affordable rate.”
The project would not require exterior updates, Fagan said. The building already has the amount of parking required for the number of apartments, and an existing mailbox for all seven units.
The building is currently served by Maine water and sewer, and will continue to do so, Fagan said.
Planning Board member Jim Molleur said last week that the project would be a good use of the preexisting building.
“It certainly looks like a good project,” Molleur said. “Giving us some affordable housing as well is a plus.”
The next step for the applicants is to hold a neighborhood meeting. Following the meeting, the applicants will submit the site plan application to the Planning Board to move forward with the proposal.
The Planning Board also heard a proposal last week for a workforce housing project at 12 School St. in Saco.
Proposed by Quality Housing Coalition, this project would rehabilitate an existing church structure into seven workforce housing units and a community space.
Quality Housing Coalition CFO Dan Black said two of the units would be reserved specifically for Saco city employees.
“We’re hopeful that this project will move forward,” Black said.
The project will come back to the Saco Planning Board at a future date.
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