Planning Board - Regular Meeting

2026. Uh we'll start with a roll call. To my left, please Kathy Shaw, Chelsea Eaton, Bob Hayes, Riley Berseron, Ed Barra, Morin Hopkins, Andrea Westby,

Sam P, I guess, planning coordinator. Thank you. All right.

Thank you. Thank you. Uh so we have one member missing tonight. Both alternates are here. Um I will suggest that we will have each of you participate in alternating agenda items. Uh so we'll go uh Kathy on first order of business will be number three uh and Chelsea. 3 A and Chelsea 3B business will be Kathy 4 A Chelsea 4 and other business everybody participate

Mr. Can you just speak into the mic a little bit better, please? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for asking and reminding. Okay. Uh, first order of business, acceptance of the minutes of April 14th. Everybody had a chance to review them. Do we have any questions? I had one comment. Yes.

Uh, just an edit on page five. On the bottom of page five, there's a motion made by Tim D. Ro, seconded by second. If somebody could just roll back the tape to Okay, was out of the room. You're not the second on that one. Uh we'll ask that staff try to to determine that and to add it to the minutes. Uh if there aren't any other substitute changes, I'd ask for acceptance of the minutes. Yes.

Uh on page three, they have my name down as Chelsea Drake. where they're t we're talking about the public safety building

page can you can you just give me a little bit more direction as to where it is. Yeah. So page three near the top of the page uh there's a bold sentence where it talks about the board voting uh for Bal to recuse himself and then right underneath that it says Ed Bearer elevated Chelsea Tra. Got it. If that change can be made as well uh to our minutes. Anything else? I have a motion to accept the minutes as amended. Motion to approve. Seconded.

All in favor? Thank you. All right. First order of business is a continuation of uh a public hearing final site plan subdivision review Hampshire Commons Apartments 143 Hampshire Street. Application by Gorl Palmer on behalf of the Urban Residential Development Corp. to construct a 32 unit housing first residential development. properties located in the traditional downtown neighborhood T-4.2 2 district and will be reviewed under chapter 60 article 16 division 2 site plan review division 3 special exception and division 4 subdivision items continued from the April 14th 2026 meeting just for everyone's understanding we work from this prepared agenda uh the process with these applications is to hear from staff first we may have questions for staff we will then hear from the applicant this is a continuation of a public hearing. So, we will take public comment. We don't take it in any particular order. It's not all in favor and then all opposed. Uh so, if you have a an opportunity or want an opportunity to speak, feel free to take it at any time. Okay. Staff.

So, this is a resubmission for final plan approval. It's a 32 unit housing development off Hampshire Street. Um, this received preliminary approval at the April 14th meeting with a few conditions that water and sewer easements are in place prior to activation and that landscaping be maintained for final approval. Since the last meeting, the applicant has provided um the permanent location of utility easements and specifies in the cover memo that um the upcoming land transfer of all three lots will establish easement language. And the applicant has also provided planting details with the maintenance plan for landscaping. And additionally, they have responded to the conditions of approval under special exception. This is a special exception permit because it requires uh it's it's uh they were requesting a waiver from building with and lot. Um and they also are proposing more than 12,000 square ft of um of building which puts them in a special exception. So, they've responded to that criteria as well. Um, staff have no additional needs at this time. I believe the project is ready for a final vote. Um, and also just uh as a a side reminder um I was told to remind members to speak directly into the microphone which um just as a reference um so that they can pick up the minutes.

Did did our Is that it Sam? Yes, that's it. Uh did our preliminary review include granting of any waivers? Yes, you granted uh the waiver from building with and lot with in the formbbased code. And so do we need to include that in our final motion granting of the waiver? It was already granted. They would need to include it on their final plan when they get it recorded. They will need to. Yes. Okay. I noticed that the suggested motion doesn't say anything about the landscaping being maintained.

Um I think I can include that as a condition. Um they did add a note on their plan of the maintenance of landscaping of how it will be maintained. Is the landscaping plan um that they provided is it depicting the same thing that the um they showed on their preliminary plan? It's depicting the same type of landscaping as preliminary. Same type or is it is it all the pretty plants and trees that were shown on it? It's the same that was shown on the last plan.

Okay. Anything for staff board member Kathy or the voting member on this? The applicant like to address the board? Oh, thank you. Good evening. Thank you very much. Um, my name is Marty Sidlowski. I'm the executive director of Auburn Housing Authority. And I'll just uh give you a another quick introduction. Uh Steve Bushy is from Gorl Palmer. He's our engineer. Um Amanda Bartlett to my left is from Developers Collaborative. She's the developer. And Jenny Stanley is from our architecture firm in Vivid. Um the housing authority. Just a brief history. Uh we began operations in 1966. We own or manage and operate 564 units uh mostly in Auburn. We have a 10 units um in Mechanic Falls. And um we are familiar with operating uh buildings with all sorts of people of um different economic and social

backgrounds. and um we really look forward to uh having an opportunity to be the owner and the manager of this property. Thank you

uh to the board. Steve Bushy again with Goral Palmer, now uh known as LJB, Inc. Happy to present here our final application materials. Sam has gone through uh to certain extent what uh we provided hopefully uh addressing staff and planning board comments that we heard at the last meeting. Uh I do have this slide deck here that I'd like to go through again and it may be beneficial. Some of it's going to be repetitive for you folks, but I think for members of the public who might be new here and are here uh on behalf of this particular uh topic tonight would like to see it. So I'll start off with uh the city of Auburn has three parcels here on the intersection of Gamich A and Hampshire Street and uh one of which is a parking lot where we're going to be positioning a new building and then a parking lot in these two other lots. It's about 3/4 of an acre and uh besides fronting on those two streets, uh basically behind it is the Chestnut Street Park. Marty's made the introductions on things. Uh I'm going to go through some of these slides and then uh I'll have Jenny talk a little bit about architecture. Uh not a lot of changes there, but she can give you a little bit of more background on that. uh at the April 14th workshop uh we had the board actions that uh Sam had mentioned approver you provided uh uh approvals for waiverss for the lot and building width both fall under the uh uh formbbased zoning code at the time. So we had that discussion you folks deliberated and and kindly granted us waiverss on those two items. There were several other items that we talked about as well that I think the board found were in not in need of a waiver provision. You also made some comments in regards to landscaping and the m maintenance of that landscaping and I'll cover that here in a moment in our in our landscaping plan. Uh what we tried to do in that landscaping uh submission

for the final here was provide a lot more detail and notes in regards to the maintenance of said landscaping and Auburn Housing as uh the developer here will be responsible for all of that. I think we've added more depth to the the plans and so forth that will provide I I hope that reassurance um to the city and to the planning board that uh the site will be uh aptly maintained. Sam also mentioned uh those conditions of the final sewer and water easements and we've provided that uh in a graphic on our record what will be a recording plat that will get recorded to to follow uh with this land transfer. So it's the city of Auburn will be transferring to the Auburn Housing Authority these three parcels. Uh and as well the landscaping be maintained was also another condition under that preliminary approval uh finding and letter that was issued. So for the public the site location again here off of Gamich and the corner of Hampshire Street, Chestnut Street to the east of the parcel. This is just an aerial image. uh gives you an overview of its site's position here relative to middle part of the city. Here's an existing conditions plan related to boundary and topographic survey that we had. We had professional surveys surveyors Owen Haskell Inc. provide that to us. So uh we're very happy with what will be the legal documentation for the city's transfer of the property. again is 77 acres consisting of three uh tax map parcels and the parcel here to the uh south contains a parking lot as I see it right now I went by the site before the meeting the parking lot's currently closed with uh some wood barrels and so forth uh closing I'm not sure that must be the city has just decided they want it closed for a period of time uh and

then there's a undeveloped gravel parking lot type area with a stone type path that goes into the uh Chestnut Street Park. And then I think the history uh as best as I understand it, there may have been a home here goes back at least 20 years that the home has been gone that I'm aware of. Uh others may know more about that, but currently it's just an undeveloped parcel here to the north side. Again, there is uh Gammed Street and Hampshire Street. I'll note uh we have the bus transit service stop and sign right here. There's a couple of benches in fact that will remain in place along the sidewalk and there's sidewalk uh on both of those streets. So, it's a relatively uh nice location with respect to transit orientation and opportunity for what will be the the uh folks living here to have access to uh public transit. This is an excerpt of the land transfer recording plat. And what I've shown here in color is the easement area. So there are two utility lines that go through the property. There's a sanitary sewer line and then a storm drainage line. Both effectively starting within the street and then going down through uh the property then out through uh Chestnut Street Park. What is shown here in red will be a defined easement area that will be made part of that land transfer. So, the city owns the land now uh easy enough for them to be able to include within the legal descriptions. And I know that there's already begun uh that exchange of information specifically related to a legal description for the property uh that the city will need to make a land transfer as well as a legal description for the easement. I'm I'm sure that the transfer documents will will cover those things. Uh, I've sent this along to Mike Broadbent at the uh, utility uh, district and I've not heard any negative

comments at this point in time. Uh, thus far his comments have all been positive and yep, you're on the right track and we're happy. Uh, the T4.2 traditional downtown neighborhood. I just point this out again that the site is located within there and multif family housing is an allowed use. you folks uh as I said earlier granted the waiverss of a couple of minor form-based dimensional uh standards. So it's 32 unit supportive housing uh and we are here before you to get site plan special exception and subdivision review. Um, this is our site plan showing our 8,700 square foot building footprint, three-story building, uh, that will have 32 units in it. Jenny will talk a little bit more about floor planning and so forth. Main entrance of the building.

I'm I'm sorry, we don't need this level of detail a second time. So, no worries. Just to let you know.

Yep. Uh, 14 parking spaces here in the parking lot, access to the north side. the special exception standards that I provided in the letter. Here are the seven standards and we provided evidence uh uh talking about how we comply with all seven of those standards. Hopefully the board has been able to read those and uh are satisfied to the evidence that we provided. And relative to the civil pieces, i.e. the engineering side of it, the site's perfectly located, very well positioned. We have all the utilities uh that we need for water, sewer, power, natural gas, uh drainage. We've given you a lighting plan that shows several uh lighting fixtures at 16t tall. We obviously are concerned about safety and security, but uh not overlighting the site either. Uh this project is going to be uh responsible to satisfy the home for good standards. And here is just a bullet list of the various uh items under the home for good standards that this project will be uh looking to to satisfy. So there's a lot of good things here as to the interior of the building and then things on the outside of the building. For example, uh the covered outdoor smoking area and then a covered uh bike storage area, for example. Other amenities, as I said earlier, the fixed transit service. Uh we're going to have a bike storage and potential for EV bike charging. Uh some healing garden space for residents to be able to go out into the back of the building besides having Chestnut uh Street Park uh so approximate. So there's lots of opportunity for them to uh have some solitude areas. Um sidewalk system, as I said, Hampshire and Cambridge Street has great sidewalks to be able to get in town to other locations. And then lots of inside programming space again that follows under that home for good uh

criteria. Here's our landscape plan uh in color. You'll see a number of trees for buffering along the street to the sides. Uh the front of the building. I'm going to show you the rendering here in a moment where uh we did do a little bit of modification there to lower some landscaping in front of a few windows, but we still have uh a long uh chain of plantings that'll go along the face of the building and some blueberry sod between the sidewalk and those plantings. The blueberry sod is nice because it'll grow to a a condition where people won't walk on it, but it'll stay low as well and solid. And uh we've used that successfully in a lot of locations, particularly when there's a sidewalk there with a lot of people walking back and forth. It'll hold up really well. The bike area here is just to the north side of the building. Uh and we have uh connectivity to the park with a stone dust path. And then there's a signed area for two parking spaces that we're providing that will be for the public uh for accessing the park. our entrance here off of uh Gamage and the solid waste area and smoking area on the far north end. So here are the uh floor plans. I'll let Jenny speak to that just for a second. There's just three slides here and then the final rendering.

I will just run you quickly through the floor plans. Uh they they haven't really changed um very much. Um so in the green you see um like four units on the first floor. um each unit will just have um one single residence in them and then um this project is pretty focused on community spaces. So we have like the entrance like entrance reception area um communal um seating and all that. Um yeah, if you want to go to this one. So on the second and third floor, we just have units only. And exterior elevations. Uh we have um uh kind of a fiber cement uh siding at the upper levels. Uh that is um kind of a wood tone and then masonry on on the lower level. Um we have uh changed uh the landscaping a little bit because it was a little um too too much before. So we've uh reduced it down a little bit. So um it's easy to maintain by the client. Uh we now show the woodshed that or the bike shed that we didn't have in there before. We also have the connectivity to the sidewalk here. Uh so this sidewalk is along Hampshire Street. We're going to try to make this is 10 foot wide, so fairly robust for people to be able to uh walk off of the street, get into the main entrance area, and then some flat work that will extend over to the parking lot as well. So people going back and forth between the parking lot uh andor the sidewalks will have not just a real or not a little narrow sidewalk. they'll have a pretty robust

nice concrete flatwork area. So, next steps, we're hoping for a final action tonight. We're here to request that from you folks and if successful, we'll go through construction document phase uh May through August, closing out of the the project with land transfer and so forth, signing up a contractor into September and October with a potential start uh by the end of the year and completion hopefully by the end of 2027 or so. So, um that's the end of our presentation. So hopefully that gives you that clear picture. Question. Yes.

I believe that the public already has access to the park through the lot from the street. Is that going to continue? Yes. Will that access simply be through the parking lot?

Uh well, we're providing two parking spaces and the public will be able to walk from uh the sidewalk through our flatwork area. That's why we made it pretty robust. And I'll show you here on this site plan. So, here's what would be the public access piece. So, this is concrete sidewalk area connecting to a stone dust path, which is matching what's out there today. Uh, and this right here ends at our property line, but that already matches into what's already out there. I just had one question about the landscaping. Um on the landscape plan there are notes um or 14 notes. Note 10. It seems to be that it's a it's instructing the landscaper as to his responsibilities for replacing plantings. This is not this is not intended to be uh this is not how you memorializing what I've described as ongoing maintenance of the landscaping. This this has sunset provisions in it after a year after two years. Your responsibility is as long as the project's there landscaping will be maintained. Is that your understanding?

Yes. So, am I right that the note that I see here is is really between the owner and the installer of the Yeah, we typically have a one-year warranty period on planted material by the installer and then after the warranty period and any performance guarantee that is held between the developer and the contractor and or maybe a performance guarantee that may be paid to to the city during a certain period of time. Uh after that expires then it's the owner's responsibility to Thank you.

I'll open it up for the public. Uh any member of the public here to address the board concerning this application Steven BL575 Johnson Street Johnson Road. Uh I think this is a technical issue that needs to be resolved. The first screen that were you were shown tonight and much of the commentary has identified the applicant is Auburn Housing Authority. The agenda before you refers to the Auburn Residential Development Corporation. I'm quite familiar with both entities. I believe I created Auburn Residential Development Corporation on behalf of the Housing Authority quite a number of years ago and it was set up to handle uh various projects that didn't meet the strict uh mandatory criteria for certain different classes of HUD uh requirements for different forms of construction. And so I think the applicant ought to uh clarify whether this is in fact Auburn Residential Development Corporation or the Housing Authority that is the applicant.

Thank you. Yes, please. I didn't want to speak if it wasn't appropriate to do so. Identify yourself. Let us know. So, um the reason why we have Identify yourself.

Oh, I'm sorry. Amanda Bartlett, Developers Collaborative. I'm the development consultant for the project. So, the reason why, and this is common place across all housing authorities in Maine, when we develop housing, uh most housing authorities have essentially like a development corporation, um that acts as kind of an intermediary through the development process prior to the project being transferred over at closing to the permanent owner, which in this case will be Hampshire Commons LP. And so um we have reviewed um the applicant name associated with the application and it is accurate as um submitted. What is it?

Um Auburn Residential Development Corporation. Yeah. So will the deeds from the city or deed from the city run to the Auburn Residential Development Corporation? I believe that's who we have the option with which is why we

Yep. Oh, thank you. Marty Sidlowski, Auburn Housing Authority. The option is currently written with Auburn Residential Development Corporation. That is because how because Hampshire Commons LP had not yet be been created at the point at time that the option was needed in order to move the process forward with main housing. in terms of the the tax credit component and what we had done in terms of putting our request for qualifications together. So, as we move forward down the line, the property will will fall under the ownership of how Hampshire Commons LP, which will be the tax credit entity for the development.

And will the Auburn Housing Authority be the general partner? the the the the general partner will be Auburn Housing Development Inc. which is a wholly owned subsidiary of yet another entity of the housing authority which is called Auburn Housing Development Corporation. So yes, we are inextricably linked into that. So as far as we're all concerned, the applicant before us is the Auburn Residential Development Corporation. Yeah.

Correct. Thank you. Any other member of the public care to address the board? Yes, sir. Good evening. My name is Mike Thirsten. I'm the chairman of the board Auburn Housing Authority. Um I just have a few things. Uh chronic homelessness is of is not often caused by underlying and untreated physical and mental health illnesses which can last can left uncur when left uncared for adds up far beyond the cost of providing people with the housing and support they need to stay healthy. To ensure long-term stability, 100% of the units in the development will be supported by vultures, which require tenants to pay 30% of their income or rent. We don't have to accept homelessness. We don't have to build more shelters. Things can change with so with services like stress, danger on the street. They can work on recovery, engage in mental health, and reconnect with their families. If you would like to see how this development can be successful, you need to look at Logan Place and Florence House in Portland. We don't we must end we must end homelessness, not manage it, not deal with it. With your support, we can work together to achieve this goal, but end it. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else care to address the board concerning this application? Seeing none, without objection from the board, I'll declare the public hearing closed. The opportunity now for the board to discuss uh deliberate to make a motion to approve approve of the condition or

deny this application. Do floor is open. Sure.

So, I have a question for the applicant. Could you uh show us any other entrances? I know there's the main entrance that you uh showed us from the parking lot standpoint. Is there any other way to get in outside of the building? So, here's a floor plan of the first floor and the main entrance. Here in this corner, we have uh the lobby area of sorts and there is a set of stairs here with an elevator on the north end of the building. The other entrance to the building would be off of the stairwell to the south end of the building here, this side. And there's a doorway over here for the rear of the property coming off of a community space uh for outdoor access. And then there's a couple of doors uh at least one door here for mechanical space into mechanical electrical captured all the doors. Appearing to be no deliberation. Anybody prepared to make a motion? I make a motion to approve the final plan for Hampshire Street Commons Apartments located at 143 Hampshire Street, P250-311, 2550-310, and 2550-309 and traditional downtown neighborhood T4.2 two district pursuant to chapter 60, article 16, division 2 site plan review, division 3 special exemption exception, and division 4 subdivision.

Seconded. You accept a condition of approval that the landscaping be maintained in perpetuity. I thought that was it detailed in the plan enough that I didn't need to make a condition for it.

Any discussion on the motion? None. All in favor unanimously. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Thank you. The next item next item on our agenda uh is a continuation of a public hearing and final site plan for subdivision review. Wahan Oaks subdivision 146 Manley Road application by Trillium Engineering Group on behalf of Homes for All LLC for a proposed 14 lot single family subdivision properties located in the traditional neighborhood development district T4.2B 2B and will be reviewed under chapter 60 article 16 division 2 site plan review and division 4 subdivision review. This item is continued from the December 9, 2025 meeting. staff.

Um, so this received preliminary approval at the December 9th meeting and at that meeting there were a few conditions um that uh the applicant was required to address before final approval. Um, uh, some of those were, um, the wetland permits, um, showing areas of wetlands on the plan, um, uh, compliance with the open space standard, um, coordinating with Auburn Sewer and Water on Service Connection and, uh, storm water management plan, uh, be submitted. So, since that meeting, the applicant has provided uh, a storm water plan. Um they actually are filing a permit by rule for wetland impacts and that will include meeting standards for chapter 500 for erosion control and storm water. They are opting to pay the fee in lie of providing open space and they met with the wreck department and that fee will go towards improvements at um Mount Appetite uh trail improvements. Um they have a sewer and water capacity letter and I've shown a location of proposed sidewalk along the private road um and location of wetland disturbance areas. Um so staff, we recommend that this application be tabled to the next meeting because it's not complete. There are details missing regarding um um exterior lighting, sidewalk design details, and information regarding um how the proposal meets the intent of the formbbased code. Um, additionally, um, our definition of lot frontage, um, refers to, um, the length of lot between, uh, side lot lines which border an accepted street. This, uh, road is going to be a private road, so it won't be accepted. So, as staff are requesting that a letter be provided stating that the frontage is coming off of a private road rather than a publicly accepted street. Um, so our recommendation is um,

we're going to hear from the applicant shortly, but our recommendation is that this this is this be tabled to the next meeting. It is a public hearing, so there's a 30-day timeline for a decision. Um, so we're within that timeline. Um, but that's that's what we have from staff perspective. Okay.

Questions for staff before we turn it over to the applicant? Uh Chelsea, you'll be participating in this review. Um Sam, in your proposal overview, you use the words uh that it is a that the neighborhood traditional neighborhood district allows single family dwellings by right. What does by right mean? It's um permitted as in it if you're just doing a single family home by itself, it does not need planning board review. Um by right is permitted. If it's special exception, it goes to planning board. This is planning board because it's a subdivision, multiple lots and a private road.

Thank you. Uh Sam, could you explain to me? I I just didn't understand it. You were said something about because it's a private road, there's an issue about about frontage. I didn't understand what you were talking about. Can you explain it to me, please?

Yes. Um and I can pull up the ordinance. Um that might be helpful. Um, so just looking back at our definitions of how we define frontage and understanding that there were projects that were previously approved that had proposed private roads for lots to gain access off of. So going forward, I mean, our definition right now says it has to be off of a publicly accepted street. um which a private road would not fall under that. So, as going forward, we're requesting that some sort of documentation be provided stating that they're proposing um to get frontage off of a private road that's not accepted.

Okay. Wouldn't the answer that be to change the ordinance? What? That would be the answer to change the ordinance, but right now that's our our current definition. I

I understand. But what what representation of the app make that makes any difference? Lots are a certain number of feet wide. I assume it's the same front as it would be required if they were indeed on what is proposed to be a public way, publicly accepted street. So what's our objective here? Not sure I understand. Um, yeah, I think I I it's yes, it would be the same requirement no matter if it's a public or private road, but it's um I think we just wanted to document something stating that that this is they are obtaining frontage on a not publicly accepted road and that the board has accepted that as um as as as f that the board has found that acceptable. I mean

have any questions staff?

I have a a question about open space. Um so in lie of open space being provided in this plan they are paying to have the improvements at Mount Appetite. Is that correct? That's that's correct. Yeah. So there's no open space for any sort of recreation, picnic tables, public areas in this proposal.

There's no open space on the plan. So, they were cramming a whole bunch of houses onto a street with no provision other than a park a distance away. And do you know how far that park is away? Um, it's Mount Appetite and I'm I'm not sure exactly, but it's not that close. So, in order to recreate, they're going to have to get in their car and drive instead of having some sort of public facility, open space where they're living. Is that correct?

Yeah, I think that's a great point to bring up. Um and and the the rec committee comments. Um so in the ordinance, the rec committee will review proposals for open space and we're paying the fee, but it's up to the board to decide if that's adequate and and it's ultimately comes down to the board's decision. Sam, you mentioned tableabling it to next month. Is it your opinion? It might be a question for the applicant that they're going to be able to provide all the these missing parts by next month's meeting. I think that's a question for for the applicant. Um the reason why I mentioned next month is because of the 30-day

the 30-day timeline for a decision on on final plan approval. Um but if the applicant can't provide the information by the next meeting, I think um the board and the applicant have to agree to extend the timeline.

Thanks. We we'll hear from the applicant, but I'm not sure. I I I think it's within the board's purview to continue the public hearing. The public hearing, we don't have to close the public hearing. There's no 30-day window until the public hearing closes. I don't I'm wondering would it would be a more efficient use of time though if we know it's not going to then why not let them come back because right now I would not say this is a complete application but if I if we tabled it we could have them potentially complete an application that would be worth deliberation.

But so your your opinion of what you've heard right now is that the application is incomplete. Yes. To Yeah.

Does the applicant care to address the board and tell us that he believes the application is complete? Uh good afternoon. Kyle Berwick with Trillium Engineering Group uh representing Homes ForAll LLC for the proposed uh Manley Road subdivision. Um although there may be parts that we are still working on such as a Stormar report and uh some of these other items that we had mentioned. um the comments that we had previously received from the last review, we feel as though we've uh brought most of those into the plans and would be willing to uh talk about it and address it with the board if that is a possibility.

So, do you think your application's complete? Um, I believe I believe it's complete to the point that we could review it tonight to provide more comments if needed at this point. Um, there are still missing elements such as the storm water and a few comments that we received from Sam uh May 1st that we have not addressed yet for this uh submission. Sam, can you tell us what items you think are missing? Can I know you may have already told us, but if you could list the items that you think are missing.

Yeah. So, I didn't see any any exterior lighting details in the application or nor in the previous one from December. Um, I also didn't see any building design details. That's part of the formbbased code. Um, formbbased code um has design details for for buildings for form of development. Um, the sidewalk is shown on the plan. Um but it should be provided as as part of the details page to show um the width of the sidewalk, the esplanade as required in our ordinance. Um also sorry like landscaping details as well. Um we don't specify we don't have anything specific in our ordinance around landscaping but um providing details of tree and shrub types is important so that we know that things are native and and that the species um are tolerant of the conditions of the site. That's important. I think before before we entertain a motion to whether this is completed or not, I think that's probably a foundational question to address. It's not complete. Take any further actions. And I I did have one other question for staff if I given the opportunity to find it in my notes. Oh, Sam. Um, in respect to open space, your paragraph, bulleted paragraph on open space in your memo to us, a final sentence or two sentences say a requirement of section 60 548B1 is to show 10% minimum of usable open space. The applicant will need to

address this standard. I was under the impression that our ordinance for better or worse doesn't require open space if you pay a fee in loo. What is the 10% that seems to be remaining? The 10% is referenced in the formbbased code and I believe it's for for yard requirements showing some form of green space. The larger open space question is really for recreation space for the site. Okay. Thank you.

What's the board's pleasure? Well,

I guess I have one question and a comment. I guess a question has to do with solid waste disposal and again uh where the owners will take care of their own waste. We have a uh upcoming uh we have a new system for trash pickup where each unit each house will be provided to uh seismos 64 cubic feet I think. Uh and the problem is that there's going to be an operator on a truck, one operator. Those all have to be lined up on the street side so they can be picked up. What street are they going to be lined up on?

I believe the uh the proposed manly up. Is it okay if I bring up? Sure. Okay. I know we're still uh so it' likely be on the Wayhon Oaks Drive would be where the solid waste containers uh in front of each of these uh residential buildings where they put it out. Um and I believe it was our understanding that the uh collector would come along this drive to pick up the solid.

Okay. So that has been discussed with public works. Um at this point that has been discuss discussed with public works is my understanding is if there if it's a private road I I think there is some question rather the uh the contractor will be on private roads. Okay. I believe the intent was to have the uh road adopted. Was it the intent to have the drive?

Okay. Okay. I did want to add the point about um the city does not really have capacity to take on more public roads. Okay. So, we're encouraging more private roads. Yeah. Well, that's we might encourage that, but if somebody builds a road that meets standards, is it not possible for that entity to go to the city council and ask that the road be adopted?

I mean, yeah, it's it's definitely still possible. It's just that we're we're trying to dis dissuade it because they don't have capacity to take on more public roads. So to me that is a question that has to be answered because I'm not sure whether the contractor for waste removal will be on that road or not. So there should be some consideration of the size of those barrels and the smallness of these lots and where they might be. Okay. Yeah, I I'll note that. Thank you.

I guess my comment again is this use of 4.2 is problematic. It is in place. if it's in place. We have to recognize the formbbased CR uh does require a lot more detail than uh other zones. So I just comment that if we have it in place, we have to follow it and we have to ask for the detail. Well, before we get too much further into this, let's have a a vote on whether this is a complete application or not. If it's not, the applicant will have to come back with a complete application, which time we'll go through this process entirely. Not complete, but complete will go forward tonight. So

Riley, I think you have an opinion on this. Yeah, I think sh of a landscape and lighting plan that we should allow this to be tabled to next month to get that prepared. So you deem it incomplete. Yes. There a second to that? I second it. There any discussion on that? Did I make a motion yet? Should I Oh. Uh, I make a motion uh to table this site this final site plan subdivision review to next month's planning board meeting.

I'll second that. Discussion. I think my my only comment would be um rather than disregarding a section of the code just because prior planning boards have done that that perhaps the road frontage issue should be addressed as a waiver request rather than us being asked to disregard something just because it's been done in the past. So that's a suggestion to staff.

It is All right, discussion. All those in favor of the motion 7 nothing matter will be tabled until our next meeting in June. Thank you.

Thank you. New business. Item 4 A. Public hearing. Site plan. Public hearing. Site plan. Special exception review. Bayer self storage and auto facility. 864 868 878 and 900 Center Street and 1193 Turner Street. application by Wright Pierce on behalf of Bayer Holdings LLC and Bayer LLC to construct a 9,000 square foot auto sales service building with paved vehicle display areas and gravel areas for rental of storage containers. properties located in the general business district and suburban residence district and will be reviewed under chapter 60 article 16 division 2 site plan review division 3 special exception Sam.

So this is actually um a resubmission of an application. It did receive planning board approval in 2024. However, they never came back to request an extension and their approval has since expired. So they're coming back uh to the board again. Um and the development is for auto sales uh with paid vehicle display areas and storage. It's consisted it it consists of four parcels. Three are in general business and one is in suburban residents. Um the previous plan was approved with a few conditions. Um, one of which was that no development um take place until uh bonding or inspection fees uh are determined by the engineering department. Uh, the second one was that all necessary storm water improvements are shown on the plan. And the third one was uh confirmation of the CMP easement area is acceptable prior to building permits. The applicant has responded to uh stormwater comments from Woodart and Curran and made updates to satisfy that condition. They also are requesting a waiver from providing a traffic impact analysis. Uh they state in the cover memo that traffic uh impact will be uh very little to the site. Um so procedurally even though this was approved in 2024, it's essentially it's it's treated as a new submission. Um so staff we have reviewed it and don't have any comments at this time. Um the one question we have for the applicant is um to confirm if they've met with assessing to combine the lots and recorded as one lot. So uh there's four lots uh three on one in one zone and one on another zone. um the the um self- storage and suburban residence is is accessory to the uh

vehicle um auto sales facility and so there was a request from the last uh plan that the lots um be combined and recorded as one lot. So just want to confirm that that that's been done. Um we have no other needs at this time though. Um that's it. Why is a self storage facility an accessory use to an auto dealership? I I don't get that at all. There's two separate uses. How is that accessory too? You look at the definition of accessory. It's I think it just means not the primary use. It's what?

I think it just means not the primary use. Not necessarily like associated with the with the primary use. It's just not the primary use.

No. Definition of accessory use means a subordinate use of land or building which is customarily incidental and subordinate to the principal use of the land and which is located on the same lot. So it isn't just because it's smaller or incidental. It has to be customarily incidental subordinate to the principal use. So I I just I'm not I'm not familiar with the notion that a storage facility is an accessory to a auto dealership.

I think that's something that the applicant can speak to. Um well does the staff have a position on that? It was uh stated in the last submission that it was accessory to their auto facility. Okay. Um you heard my reservations and I'm just reading the simple definition of accessory use. And where would the storage facility be? Is it in the suburban in the suburban residence?

And is a storage facility a permitted use in the suburban zone? It's It's not permitted. That's why they're saying it's accessory structures and uses.

Is it on the same lot? It's It's on a It's on a separate lot in the same ownership. Again, it can't an accessory use has to be at least on the same lot. if it's an accessory use. Hear my hesitation about whether it is the applicants demonstrated nothing by way of financial capacity. Why wouldn't I just suggest that the applications for that purpose?

There should have been a letter of financial capacity in the packet at the end of the packet that I did request from them that they have provided. I saw a note that said that they were applying for financing. I didn't see I saw the same thing on five letter like what we usually see, right?

Anyone else with any questions from staff here from the applicant? Uh, have we received confirmation from Central Main Power that they don't have any issue with the use around and over their easement? I have not received any confirmation from them.

All right. If there aren't any other questions from staff, we'll hear from the applicant. Hi, I'm Yan Wegman with Wright Pierce. I'm here representing um the Bayer self storage and KN&R Auto the um just to give you an overview. Um there are a number of lots here. Uh as you can see uh four of them are held by Bear Holdings LLC. So if you look on the um on the plan there's uh 864 which is which is here um 868 which is here and um 878 which is bare self which is the self storage as well as this area behind and then 900 which is the auto uh dealership and then 1193 is a uh parcel along Turner So that that's the makeup of it. The um

and which one is is owned by three of the parcels are owned by one entity and one is owned by the other. Right. Uh four of the parcels are owned by one entity which is uh Bear Holdings LLC and then one this one in the back here is uh held by Bear LLC. And so why why would that be included in this application? It's a separately owned parcel by a separate company. It's they're one of the applicants. There are two applicants here. There's only one application. Right.

Right. But it's a combined they they're both applicants are are uh in in the same application. Yeah. I know. And the use of the suburban residential parcel is for the storage. What's being proposed is um there's going to be some area used for store so some storage containers to store storage containers there while they're you know being available to be leased out

and is that a permitted use in that zone? It's um it's not a permitted use in the SR zone. Um, if you look at special exceptions, there are some storage uh uses that allow for special exceptions. Um,

well, let's look at them. Can you direct me to the section referring to?

I don't I don't have the ordinance open in front of me, but looking at division five and then special exceptions is going to be under section 60-255 B should be listed. I'm open to having somebody show me where it's listed. I don't I don't And I will say too that these structures um they're not structures. I mean they're they're obviously they're containers so they're movable. Um and I I guess you have to go back to the resial So there are some and in the suburban residential it refers you back to special exceptions under the rural residential uses which there are some um there There are some storage uses that are allowed there, but somewhat related to agricultural and um and other rural type uses. It doesn't specifically say containers and I don't know that the uh

Okay, go ahead with your presentation.

Sure. Let me just go back. Um, all right. So, the SR zoning is the Bayer LLC parcel is zoned SR and the rest of the site is Z zone general business. The overall site area is 9.2 acres. And as Samantha had mentioned, the um site plan had originally received approval from the Auburn Planning Board as we've got designed currently um with with the exception of a couple of enhancements for the storm water um in 2024. Um so there's uh bare cell storage which is on lot um it's on 700 I mean 7 97 there is it's on its own lot behind is the self- storage use as well as it encompasses um a portion of this parcel on the left side of the drive and um and the self- storage buildings themselves on the right side of the drive. Um, and then KN&R Auto Sales occupies the right side of the drive. And then this area in front currently, uh, there's there's a spillover of containers and mixed use with the some autos that are parked there from the auto sales. So, what we're trying to do here is to is to both improve the overall site, uh, provide some screening as well as for the container use, which would be in the area behind and um have auto sales along the frontage um of the site.

So, we're proposing a 9,000 square foot building here for the auto sales to support the auto sales um uh functions on the site. There'll be a paved parking uh space behind for autos um as well as in front. There'll be additional paved area in the front. Um, and then behind behind that will be uh a gravel area that will be used for storage containers. There'll be landscaping along Turner Street and along this back area um here to to screen the storage containers as well as a fence. There'll be storm water improvements which I can get to on the next slide. Um we're there's an existing wet pond over here that services um the self storage or the self- storage units uh as well as uh a portion of this back part of the site here that's gravel. There will be uh enhanced uh storm water um treatment areas along the frontage and then there will be a subsurface storm water uh treatment area on the auto dealership site uh which is currently on the right hand side. Um these storm water enhancements will meet D and the city requirements for uh storm water. Um so this is a uh reapproval of the 2024. Um it is a special exception use in the GB um district. Uh storm water meets both city and um D site law requirements. We as Samantha mentioned we are requesting a waiver for the traffic study. Um and in general the storage functions will be behind the building uh screen from center streets

and then auto sales use which is consistent with uh the use along center street which will that'll continue and it'll be enhanced with both a paved area uh parking or display area as well as uh storm water treatment. And that's the that's the bulk of the presentation. Bob,

seems to me we're talking essentially two developments. The front on center street essentially really the new development, new construction, repaving. Seems what we're doing is taking that suburban uh parcel and the containers that are out front now. It appears they're just being moved back. That's correct. The that area currently is at a much is at a higher elevation. So the um the grading plan calls for that area to be um excavated so it's depressed. So, it's not visible from Turner Street or the uh the residential uses that'll be screened from these two residential uses here as well as a fence that'll be in this area here. So, that's the that's the um program for that particular area.

I guess you're right. the the container uses will be at the rear of the or towards the rear of the site somewhat in the GB zone as well as in the SR zone. I guess that's where I'm having trouble accepting uh the second part of the development moving those containers back. There's an ongoing discussion. I think it will be coming back through the here as well as the council with respect to boxes. That's essentially what we're talking about.

Correct. And I think there's a real issue with those uh throughout the community. And I think one area that we really do not want to see them is suburban areas. So I have I guess if that request requires a waiver to move in that direction here, I'm troubled. I think that's why the ordinance doesn't allow for the storage container facility in the suburban zone in the first place. Why aren't these lots all in unified ownership?

I think um it's an evolution. Um they uh at least the four that are create that are under the same ownership were created back when the when the um self storage facility was built. So the self storage was on its was on a separate lot in terms of its own lot. I think over time the um the ent entities that own them or control them um have changed and now they're they're the same for those three and I think that um the parcel the Turner Street parcel was purchased after these other parcels had been put together and I'm not sure why that's in a different name ownership name. I'd have to ask the owner. The there was a residence on that at one point and it was it was taken down.

Uh just a quick question for Sam. You mentioned that the city had brought up um having the applicant combine the lots into a single lot. Is that correct? Yeah, that's correct. How would that work uh from a zoning perspective if you have lots and multiple zones?

I believe they also would have to apply for for a zone change as well. Um that wasn't Yeah, that wasn't mentioned, but yes, they would have to do that as well.

Okay, thanks. Yeah. Uh, one of my first notes off the top was uh the letter on attachment to the demonstration of financial capacity which I I personally felt was insufficient uh compared to the standard that we have as a board of having that letter from the financial institution and and backing the applicant's claim of financial capacity. I don't think this met that standard quite frankly. Uh so my point here, second point is going to be about uh the waiver. So in our memo we got from staff. It says applicant states that the traffic increase as a result of the proposed development will be minimal. Uh thus is requesting a waiver. The proposed development is anticipated to generate 22 total passenger equivalent trips in the peak hour. I guess my question for the applicant is how that number came about if there was no study that was conducted. It was I think it had come about as a result of the um I looking at the size of the proposed building the 9,000 square foot um auto retail sales building versus um and looking at um the IT manual and and extrapolating from that or or calculating it based on the the factors from the IT manual. Is the manual that you're referencing something that's part of the application or is it something that was from a

previous application? No, it it's it's a standard uh traffic engineering manual. Institute of traffic engineers, the IT, they issue um uh it's a manual with various uses in it. And um it it has um traffic projections based on those uses based on either a square foot area or some you know some other criteria.

Okay. So, uh, just a follow up to that, these, uh, self storage container units, are they going to be like in terms of size, are they going to be split up into different parts? Are they going to be large? How I guess my question is, how big are these self storage containers?

I think they they vary in size. Um, I mean, typically there's a you can have a 40 foot long unit or a 20 foot long unit. And as you can see in here, um, most of these here are are 20 foot long units. There are some 40 foot long units. You know, this is how the site's used currently. So, this is more or less kind of kind of uh memorializing what's on the site and kind of putting it in different areas and saying this is how the site's going to be used. That's part of what this what this application is about as well as the opportunity to build a a new sales building or a or a building for sales and support sales.

Well, the the site that is the suburban zone parcel is not being used currently. It's not being used for that. Correct. Yes. And do we agree or not that that's not allowed in the It doesn't it doesn't appear in the in the code. If I could finish my line. Uh so

I guess with the need for moving these uh self- storage units into that new zone, like you said, it was it's going to be 20 feet long, 40t long. I mean, I'd imagine people are going to be hauling trucks in there. more vehicular traffic is going to inevitably end up on this land and parcel. So, you know, I think it's would behoove us to not accept this waiver for traffic. Clearly, we'll increase traffic in the parcel. So, that's why my answer is I don't know if the applicant you have a reason for wavering that traffic request. the uh self- storage use is actually going to diminish on the site from what it currently is because the area that is occupied by the self storage, the containers and so forth is going to get smaller and um the auto sales area is what will be enhanced in terms of area or space on the site. Currently, it's it's being used, you know, more for like an overflow. the auto sales, but the self- storage units are there. The and those containers, a lot of them are are um they're there for people who want to rent one on their site and they'll bring one of these to their site and leave it at their site and then when their lease is done, they bring it back. That type of thing.

Have a question for staff. Was there ever a municipal approval for the storage of these containers on this property? Just for the storage itself. Yeah. I mean, not that I'm aware of. How is it that they're there then without city approval? I'm I'm I I don't I'm not sure.

Does the applicant think that these types of units are an allowed use in the general business district? The self storage use was was approved. I guess the self storage I understand that. that and some of these units I think are they're uh some of the individual units I believe are occupied in terms of people don't want them on their own prop or don't have them on their own property but they have them here and they have storage material stored in them on this site some of them are like that I'm not sure

so when the self storage units were approved was the area where we see these containers stored on the site part of that approval

the only part. What was approved for that was to create the gravel area. Any other questions? Anybody else on board? Open up for public hearing. Any member of the public like to address the board on this application approach. The public hearing closed. I don't see how we go forward with an application where the proposed use is not an allowed use in a zone. I I I understand that this may have been approved before, but I don't think that two wrongs make a right. Storage units are not accessory to uh the automobile sales facility that is part of this application. The storage units are proposed to be in suburban zone where they're plainly not allowed. uh and I question whether they're even allowed in the general business zone. Uh so I I don't know how we could possibly approve this project. You want to take a breather then I just suggest we declare the application incomplete because the financial capacity is wholly insufficient totally insufficient. But I I don't see how we could possibly approve this application. I guess I'd like to see this project come back recognizing, you know, the

project to center street to me is a legitimate project, a good development project. It expands auto sales and service as exists that whole strip. The real issue is the moving of these storage containers into a suburban area. So I think the two don't go together for approval. And there truly is a there's been a history, there's been some debate, there's been a real uh issue of defining storage boxes. Uh and it's been put on the back burner unfortunately because it has not been addressed by the city yet. Uh but there's some real concern uh where there have been boxes truly in suburban uh residential areas that the city has had trouble getting moved. They've been used inappropriately under the eyes of most people. Anybody else with comments? I would just, you know, uh, chairman Ed said that pretty much reiterating the financial piece of it, the fact that that part of

the application is that we should really see more from that from the applicant. I'd be in favor of postponing because of the incomplete application as well. My only issue with postponing it is that if the application comes back with financial capacity, I still would have trouble with the storage units being put in the suburban uh zone. So, I don't know if it would please the board to postpone it or to deny it and allow the applicant to take that information. I would uh if you I it's appropriate for me to respond. I I would app would prefer to postpone it and I'll take it back to the applicant and ask if that's something that can be eliminated from the plan or altered somehow to make it more palatable.

Well, I'll make a motion. I would I would move to deny the application as being a proposal for uses that are not permitted uh in in the zone for which uh the applicant seeks approval. I'll second.

And I'll just say in support of my my own motion, the applicant's always free to come back um make these changes uh that that might be necessary. I think the applicant's also going to have to demonstrate if they do come back that the the the idea of uh storing storage containers um is consistent with even the general business district. Okay. Do you need a second first or I got a second from Marine?

Yeah, I guess what you're saying essentially they could bring back pretty much this same application just eliminate the boxes moving to that suburban parcel. I I'm saying that they could do that, but I'm not sure that even the boxes being simply located in the general business district is a permitted use. I've asked the applicant to show me where it is, and because I I don't see it as even being in allowed use in the general business district, but that that's a much closer call than whether they are allowed or not in the suburban district.

I'm just thinking we certainly see them. used in general business areas for sure. And and I asked staff if there is any evidence of any approval ever having been given for that use in that zone and or in that spot. And the answer was no. I I think we're seeing them. I'm not sure that that means that that's a permitted use. certainly prompts the city to uh address the issue

and and if if they are permitted use um then uh an option for the applicant is to try to reszone that parcel that fronts Turner Street from suburban to general business. Right. Any further discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all in favor of the motion. Unanimous. Thank you. Our last substantive item on the agenda. Public hearing. Site plan special exception review. Town farm recovery options. 249 Marrow Road. Application by Zack Cameron to change the use of the residential property at 249 Marrow Road to an outpatient recovery facility. properties located in the industrial district and will be reviewed under chapter 60 article 16 division 2 site plan review and division 3 special exception.

This is a yeah change of use to an outpatient clinic. The lot is in the industrial zone. It was uh um it's legally legally non-conforming. The residential home was grandfathered. All proposed changes will take place in the interior of the building. Um they're not adding any new lighting, parking or signage. Um they have provided additional supplemental information for the board regarding number of patients, methods of treatment, um staffing and uh security uh provisions as well. Um for outpatient clinics, um there are a few things that are required in our ordinance. One of which is uh screening. So if the use of butts uh any residences, screening is provided. there are no uh residential uh uses uh within uh near the property. Um they're not providing any screening. Um additionally um they're required to meet uh twice a year with with police staff. Um so with the additional information that's been provided, um we uh staff have reviewed it, believe it's complete. Um we're recommending uh the following conditions of approval. um if the board votes to approve. Uh the first being that all licensing and permitting is received prior to operation. The second is that the building is inspected by fire and code prior to uh building permits. And then finally, um as an ongoing condition, the applicant meets with police uh twice a year and notify city staff of those meetings as required. Um in our ordinance um the applicant is also requesting a waiver from uh providing a boundary survey. The survey uh is is quite old. Um none of the property lines are changing. Um that's it.

See it's not much money. Uh maybe it's being self-funded, but there's absolutely nothing in this application is there about financial capacity. the the uh application is is being self-funded. There a statement to that effect? I mean there is no statement to that effect.

How can how can we deem it a complete application? Absolutely missing Any other questions for staff? I have a I think I have an older version. I didn't in my packet. I didn't have those uh conditions listed on my at least on my printed out one. Um I did not list those in the memo yet because there was information that I received after um I sent packets out. Um so I did not include those yet. This is what I'm recommending though tonight.

Okay. So the the in the packet I have I got the that that is recommended that you need more the staff needs more information. So this is an older copy of Yeah. So the information I was that I requested was about um the the types of treatment um staffing and and what's required for outpatient clinics. The information uh actually has been provided with your packets. Um so I sent the memo out before it was that information was received. All right. Thanks.

Do we need to wave the requirement for a survey? You can uh Yes, you can vote to wave the requirement for the boundary survey. The applicants requesting that, right? Yes, they're requesting it. And we're pretty sure that no changes have been made to this property since the survey uh the last survey was done. That's correct. Yes.

The applicant here, would you care to speak address the board? Sure. Yes, please. In regard to the self financing, um, I was working just with the criteria that AI and Sam has provided me with, so I didn't even see that on the checklist, so I will apologize. Hi Kathy, I've washed your eggs before in the past couple weekends there. That's incidental. Um, it's selfunded. um if you could perhaps allow me to get something signed by the person who is going to be the owner operator uh tomorrow even I could send it to Sam but it's a small cost. Yeah,

it's really an easy project. I mean this is as far as the building it's ready for it. Um there's not much to it really. Uh traffic is minimal. I mean all the details are here. Um we just really want to provide another option for the community in recovery and we have our uh lead staff member already in place. We're going to proceed with the HHS licensing. Getting a little nervous. Sorry. Um so this is as far as effort not hard. Um everything's there. So I don't know if there would be any further specific questions.

What's the property currently being used for? Okay. So currently it is actually um primarily an office building, but the main conversion is a three- bay garage which is being used uh kind of as a hobby auto body garage. Uh we have a retired guy who kind of teaches some people in recovery currently some new skills. It's used lightly, maybe 20 hours a week. Um so that will be eliminated and then that's going to be moved into green to a garage there so that people can continue to learn and just work on pet projects. So

otherwise let me elaborate. Uh it's already finished office space. So upstairs is the master office. Uh two goodiz offices, two offices downstairs. There is a kitchen upstairs, kitchen downstairs. The bathrooms are being converted into ADA bathrooms. Uh tubs and showers are being eliminated. Uh really we're just it's so minor. There's emergency lighting, a couple fire rated ceilings and very small areas actually. Uh some exit signs. Uh this is not very complicated. This seems to be a fairly large piece of property in total.

Yeah. Yeah. There's what? Four buildings, four structures. Yeah. So, um we're going to be building B. So, it's the second building. Um not easy to see when you're driving by because you got to pay attention to the road. Uh but there's four buildings. The third building is used for recycling. Again, there's more people in recovery uh that are just breaking down pallets. And uh a lot of these people are working actually with encamp homeless encampment cleanup and other things in the community. Um building D is a very Can you speak into the microphone please?

My apologies. Building D is actually Wow, that sounds much better. Building D is just a very large storage area right now. Currently there's not even bay doors. You can walk right in at any time. Um there is a forklift pad between D and C. These are so far removed or away from building B that they're really of no consequence. Um the driveway to get to them is uh 40 ft wide, 45 ft wide and um there's just plenty of room everywhere. We have our own dumpsters on site. Um the first house, as was mentioned, is grandfathered in. It's a residential rental and it's actually rented by the owner's daughter and son-in-law. And

is there a residential property on this property? It is deemed so grandfathered. Yeah. Someone living there? Yes. The owner's daughter uh lives there and uh they've lived there for quite some time. Apologies. I have somewhat of a strep throat. not strep but sore throat. So there'll be no disruption to uh normal people and there's no intention to rent to the public this building ever in the future.

Um it looks like you need to be um you need to provide verification that you're not within 2,000 ft um of a church, school, daycare facility, or public playground. Do you have that? My apologies. I do not. Where would I find this? Is that on the application? City of Auburn development review application.

It's it's um Yeah, sorry. It's it's part of the our ordinance under outpatient clinics. Um I can try pulling it up right now. Um, what was the distance required? It's it's it's 2,000 ft.

Yeah, you have to travel miles to reach any one of those establishments. I don't have proper documentation and documentation that would be provided considered proper would be what? Like GPS, Google Maps to the nearest school or church or just somebody signing off such as yourself stating that there's no church or school within that distance 2,000 ft. It's your application, so you could do prove that however you want, but I think a Google map or something like that better than having putting the staff in a position where they're making

Oh, for Yeah, please. I wouldn't want to add to our workload. I know it's tremendous. I just don't really know the procedure. Um I would be very happy to provide that um ASAP priority tomorrow morning first thing or even I could pull it up on my phone right now or um actually pretty quickly. I have a cloud subscription and could just ask uh for the distance to the nearest school uh andor church. location criteria. Uh, let's see. Public park, playground. Um, how how would uh how would this be verified, I guess, would be my question, just by my own wording and just me stating that there's nothing within that distance or

you would have to Yes, you you would have to to verify it. Um yeah, whether whatever way Google Maps that works. Um sure. So that's Yeah, you'd have to verify that. Okay, I'll do that right now.

Tell me the closest church, school, and park, please. All right. So that will be this is insane by the way. Two two. They thought where I am right now. My apologies. Here we go. New Life Church is the closest 57 Manley Road, 2.5 miles away. Closest school is Pentingill Academy, 48 Melo Road. This one is important. Uh likely under a mile, so this might uh require further scrutiny. Um, I'm thinking now if it's on Maro Road 2000 is about a third of a mile. I can get the exacts on that in just one second. Park closest is 3 miles away. And then if I could, I'll just get the uh school Pentingale Academy um distance between 48 MO road and 249 Marrow Road. Okay.

Oh, they confused it. Here we go. This is a correction. So, the nearest school is just far away. Uh, there is a daycare. Um, it's not a school, not a K to2 school. 1.2 miles away. Um that's what we have uh no stat Maine has no statutory proximity buffer for outpatient sud treatment programs near daycarees or schools um that restrict anything of this nature. Main law does not impose a proximity restriction on licensed outpatient behavioral health programs. Uh we're not a dispensing facility and uh I think the only thing that I haven't nailed down is the closest school uh by distance. My apologies.

I think the 2,000 ft uh requirement is not coming from state law but from the city of Auburn ordinance. Okay, understood. Um I just need to know where the nearest school is. Can we

I would be comfortable with if if the board's I would be comfortable with making uh the this proof uh a condition of approval that this and the financial capacity be demonstrated to the city staff before um I I think it would be instead of have going through it right now, it might be easier because then they could have a a piece of paper with Yeah, I'd be happy to circle on it, you know, 2000 foot circle and certainly priority. I'll have it sent over tomorrow.

I would be comfortable voting on the waiver request tonight, but I don't feel like we have a complete application and I don't think it's the staff's job to verify the financial capacity um or make a determination if the verification is sufficient to meet the 2,000 foot setback. I think that's within the purview of the planning board. So I don't personally think that we have a complete application that we can vote on. Uh I must apologize again. Um I just I didn't know the money would be an issue. I thought, you know, if it was a loan. So

Chelsea, um I have a question for the board. Why would, and I'm not arguing this, I want to know, why would these two stipulations, the financial capacity and this list of um churches, schools, why would we not be able to vote on the application with those two items as um conditions? Thank you. versus not being able to vote on this because it's not a complete application. What's what's how do you differentiate? Does it does that question make sense?

It does. Um uh um it was Moren's suggestion, but I'll I'll take a crack at responding to you and she can also if she wishes. Uh the financial capacity may seem small and in this instance it is, but it is plainly um a part of a complete application. you you have to submit that just like you have to submit a copy of his deed, which he did. Uh the ordinance says that and the ordinance doesn't say that it's up for staff to decide whether financial capacity has been demonstrated. It's something that the planning board has to determine. So some things we can delegate, but I'm not sure that we can delegate a finding or a conclusion such as that. Um so that's that's my response to to that question. I think the question about whether this facility is within 2,000 ft of any of the protected uh facilities mentioned in our ordinance is a little more yeah we can accept an oral representation. But the way our applications work is that you submit that as part of your application so that when we pick it up, there's something in here that demonstrates that something other than the staff saying that it does not appear to be within 2,000 ft of X, Y, and Z.

Yeah. So by definition, the fact that primarily it's the financial capacity, the fact that that's just not in the application, by definition, we can't vote on the application because it's not there. Just by definition, well, we'd be on a real slippery slope if we start voting on incomplete applications because there might be financial capacity now. There might be a storm water management plan tomorrow. I'm not arguing it. I'm just trying I want to make sure I understand. Um, okay.

Okay. Well, forgive my shortcomings. Um, I will just say that the nearest school is Auburn Middle School, several miles away. Um, and I will be happy to provide the proof of self-payment um, ASAP. So, is there any other shortcomings that I need to address? Perhaps just a maps indicating uh clearly what the nearest school, church, park is. Yeah, a Google map or the city has a a partial viewer that that works for that as well.

Okay. Partial view of distance. Man, it's unfortunate. Sam, was there anything else that you deemed to be missing from the application? I know you went through some potential conditions, but were any of was there any additional information missing?

Um, no, there was nothing else that I I would suggest then that I I'll make a motion that the application is incomplete denied. Are we denying the or we just on it? Yeah, that's better. The application is incomplete. We we will postpone until our meeting in June. Second.

All in favor? I'm sorry. Did I cut you off, Bryley? I'm sorry. I looked at I think that was unanimous. Frank, thank you. And don't beat yourself up over the the fact the application was in. That's not Yes. All yours. My apologies. Thank you all for your time. Thank you for your help along the way. I'll be in touch with you. I hope you all have a great night. You Thank you.

Great. Other business. Introduction to LD1829, an act to build housing for main families and attract workers to main businesses by amending the laws governing housing density. staff will introduce the new state law and discuss potential changes to chapter 60.

Yeah. So, I'll try and keep this this brief and pretty high level, but just want to put a plug uh in the board about this new state law. It's requiring multiple dwelling units um per lot and changing density and minimum lot size requirements. Um, so this state bill separates out lots within a growth area served by sewer and water, lots not in a growth area served by sewer and water, and then lots outside of the growth area. Um, so it requires that for any lot that's growth area, I'm referring to the comprehensive plan. So the comprehensive plan um shows a growth area of where the city wants to grow and develop. And most of these areas are are served by sewer and water. Um, so it requires a minimum of four lot uh, four dwelling units per lot and it says we cannot set a minimum lot size that exceeds 5,000 square feet. These are for lots in a growth area served by sewer and water. Um, so we are uh working on ordinance updates right now to chapter 60. Um, because of this we're requesting um an additional meeting with the board. The board normally meets once a month. So, we're requesting um an additional Tuesday meeting to walk through those changes and to get the board's input and to have public comment as well.

So, yes, we scheduled preliminarily scheduled to be Thursday 28 on Tuesday. Okay, got it. Yes. Uh for Thursday the 28th. Um I actually am not able to attend that meeting. Um I believe J. Carlo, who's our new planning director, will attend as well, will be in attendance. Um will we be getting any materials ahead of time? Yes, you'll be getting materials to to review. Um um they'll be in track changes in chapter 60 and um he'll walk through um some of the the sections with you. So this is all in anticipation of amendments to our zoning ordinance that we'll have to recommend to the council.

Yes, these are um changes the board will be recommending to council. Um and th this is a pretty heavy lift. I understand it. There are a lot of changes. Yes, there are there are quite a lot of changes. Um it'll um impact um density, road frontage, um even um design types, landscaping potentially. Um so it's a pretty substantial substantial lift. Um and um the new comprehensive plan um actually all of the zones touch the growth area in the comprehensive plan. So this will impact all zoning districts in Auburn.

Yeah. The vast majority of anything that is sewer and water is a growth area and the in the comp plan. So it impacts most of the city. Do we have a sense of how many meetings we may we may have to address the these changes to the ordinance?

Um I'm not sure at the moment, but I think our plan is um for for fall adoption that dovetales with the comprehensive plan. Um so I'm expecting maybe at least a handful. It's it's hard to say though. So, I did meet with the comprehensive planning committee chair, Mr. Cleveland, mayor, and is it Lauren? She Yes, Lauren. Yeah. The long range planner to try to tee up when we'll be having our review of the comprehensive plan. And for other board members information um and

right the our representatives on the on the comprehensive plan committee. So they'll be we'll be

and Paul our ameritus member is also around. Um and I think that we're planning probably at least three meetings for our review of the comprehensive plan and our obligation under the uh planning board ordinance is to recommend the comprehensive plan. So I think we we do owe it to ourselves and to the ordinance to view it. So we'll probably get it sometime to the mid to latter part of the summer and the first meeting that we'll have will be a joint meeting with staff introduce us to the concept then we'll have a workshop and then that's the reason that I had written to people a while back and asked you're up the fact that we probably having a couple more you want to say about this Sam tonight

no nothing more I'm just trying to visualize 50 50 by 100 would be 5,000 square feet. 50 by 100. What's the size of a basketball court? About that. That's about the size of a basketball court. Yeah. Four units. That's what I heard at four units.

And it's being dictated down to us from the state level. Uh, other business. Uh, no, that was our other business. Public comment. Public comment. No comment.

Uh, miscellaneous. Um I I would ask um it's it's not part of the heavy lift, but at the last meeting we had um Marine and I expressed some reservations about the way waiverss are treated um more like variances to specific standards in our ordinance and I had forwarded some uh cases uh on that topic to staff. I'd like to see staff come back and tell us that either we're wrong or that we're right and there'll be some revisions made to the ordinance. So, could how do I go about more being sure that something like that happens?

Um, yeah, thanks for bringing that to my attention. Would you be able to forward that email to me? I did not see it um for variances waiverss. Um, I think that's something that going forward we want the board to be more involved in in ordinance changes and in recommendations to change ordinances. Um, so I think that's something that we can look into and potentially um vote on a change to get adopted. Okay. Yeah. Okay. I think I understand. Um, any other comments?

Yeah. Hope hopefully I won't be alone in this. Riley Kag team here, but uh I was going to try to provide an update on the comprehensive plan as it stands right now. Uh so pretty much we just had public comments on our uh draft land use categories

and I don't know if you guys have seen or heard of that. Um that's basically going to be what areas of the city that are going to be high growth, low growth, moderate growth and then which what what the land uses are going to be within each of the categories. So just at a high level I would say uh we designated high density cores and committee has designated downtown and there was three different areas. There was the Great Falls Plaza area, Auburn Mall area, and the area surrounding Interstate exit 75. And from that, that's going to be pretty much no limit. So, buildings as tall as they can be. Uh upper floors can contain multif family units, businesses, mixed use, uh just housing of all type pretty much. And then you have mixeduse neighborhoods and compact residential, industrial, and uh mixeduse corridor which are all going to be in I believe I'm skipping through this all going to be in the high growth land use category. And then for the for the uh moderate density we have neighborhood transition residential corridors and then low density will include the agricultural recreation open space drinking water protection which will include lake Auburn wershed and all the shorland protections and yeah

actually the I think it would be a good idea the the part of our last month's meeting we had a a document that had um you could scroll through and read the descriptions of all the the land use types, but then also there is a zoomable map that was that would come up with the uh related uh zone that you're looking at and if it' be something I mean I think it's well the public so it's something I could email to you and you could distribute to the board because I think it's a really helpful uh it's a great way to look at it. It has all the information organized and then when you when you're reading it you're seeing what's you know where it's being applied to. Um, so I think that would be a good thing to share. And as far as timing, you said that in the middle of this summer, we're going to have a lot more meetings. I know August was a was a a deadline we were shooting for for a deliverable um a deliverable comp plan, but that also does there's a lot of review that has to go into that, including us as a board. So, uh, yeah, it's going to get busy this summer.

I I think so. I know it's going to be busy between the comp plan and the changes state law that we have obligation to amend our ordinance to be in compliance with anything else from anyone. Appreciate those updates. A motion to adjourn. I have one comment if I'm if I may

and please don't construe this as me being rude, but it is extremely difficult to hear several of of you guys when you speak into the microphone and and I'm sitting right here and I know from personal experience in the past when I've sat in the room, it's it's extremely difficult ult if not impossible to hear and understand a lot of what's being said. So, I would like us as a group to think about ways to be better about using the microphones and speaking clearly into the microphones where the recording can pick it up and where it can be clearly heard from everywhere in the room. Um, I don't know what the answer to that is. I'm not saying that. I'm try I'm not trying to stir the pot. I'm I'm truly I it's very hard to hear. Um, I don't know if we can put reminders on our desks to lean into the microphone. I don't know what the answer is, but I think it's something that we need to really think about, come up with a way to remind ourselves throughout the entire meeting that we need to be leaning into the microphone. Um, and again, I'm not trying to be rude. I'm it's but it it's it's a concern to me legitimately.

Thank you. Sure. Absolutely. Steve, can you hear us? All right. Uh, motion to adjurnn. Second. Thank you. We're journed.