SCARBOROUGH – The Scarborough Town Council has agreed to move forward on a proposed contract zone that would bring a new Maine Army National Guard readiness center to the south end of town on the border with Saco.

During a joint meeting with the Planning Board last week, town leaders said they are intrigued with the proposal, which would also include a new equipment maintenance facility for a total $32.5 million investment by the guard.

The joint meeting held on Sept. 17 was just the first step in a long approval process.

Town Planner Dan Bacon said in order for the contract zone to be approved, the guard would have to prove the project is consistent with current and permitted uses and the comprehensive plan, as well as have a significant public benefit.

While councilors and Planning Board members said they have lots of questions and need to see more project details before signing off on the proposal, in general they felt it’s worth pursuing further.

The general idea is that the new $17.5 million readiness center and the $15 million maintenance garage would replace the aging Stevens Avenue Armory in Portland, which was built 73 years ago.

The contract zone is a joint application from the Maine Army National Guard and the University of New England, which has a purchase and sales agreement in hand for the 24.6 acres in Scarborough and the 12 acres in Saco that would house the new guard facilities.

In essence, the university and the guard would swap the two undeveloped parcels for the Stevens Avenue Armory, which is adjacent to the university’s Portland campus and which is no longer in compliance with Department of Defense guidelines for National Guard facilities.

Several residents spoke out against the project last week, including John Fairweather, the closest homeowner to the project. He’s concerned about what will happen to his property value and about being properly shielded from the new development.

“I’m not negative and I don’t complain, but this is not good for me,” Fairweather said. “I am only one voice, but I hope you listen.”

Fairweather and several others also expressed the opinion that the Haigis Parkway would be a better spot for the National Guard project, but Planning Board Chairman Allen Paul said, “I’m not opposed (to the location), it may be a good spot.”

Various councilors, including Jessica Holbrook and William Donovan, said in addition to adequate visual buffering, they also want to ensure the guard provides noise abatement, light shielding and proper hazardous material collection and disposal.

The next step in the process is for the guard and the University of New England to go to the Planning Board for site plan review and preliminary project approval. Even if the project gets the nod, guard officials said construction would likely not start until 2019.

– Kate Irish Collins