Planning Board - Regular Meeting

I'm going to call to order the City of Ellsworth Planning Board meeting for June 3rd, 2026. Introductions.

Lisa LaRue, Planning Board Member.

John DeLeo, Chair. Rick Lyle, Vice Chair. Mike Hange, Member.

Mark LeBain, Alternate. Matt Outier, Alternate, but voting tonight?

Yep.

Yep. Staff introductions.

Brittany Merrill, City Planner.

Robert Grant, Code Enforcement Officer. Thomas Gannon, Fire Inspector.

Andrew, Deputy Code Enforcement. Okay, item number two, adoption minutes from, we should be adopting March 31st and May 6th regular meetings, but there's still minor issues with that, so we're going to. We're not going to do that.

Two meetings in the same lot. Yeah.

Okay. Item number three. Why don't you start to put that tack on? Preliminary plan review of a major use site development plan entitled Anchor in Campground for applicant owner Superior Realty. The proposal is to construct a 28-site recreational vehicle campground. The subject property is approximately 52 acre lot located at 566 Bayside Road, tax map five, lot 46, located in the rural zone district. Okay, the first order of business is that Lisa has expressed that she has a conflict of interest due to a family member who lives in that area. So she's gonna be stepping down from any discussion votes on this project. SECONDLY, I KNOW PROBABLY EVERYBODY OUT THERE IS FOR THIS ITEM. If you folks can all see this map here. I'll give you a little bit of time to get those maps out.

Thank you.

So when a project like this comes to the planning board, the city planning department has to send out a budget notice. And what's required is that any property owner within 500 feet of the property line of the proposed development has to receive notice that we're going to have a meeting on it. Now, there's a conflict, and this goes to city records. This is the lot that wants to be developed by Mr. Millman, 46-1. This lot here, 46, is just a small, like, five or six acre piece. But this is a tax map, then there's tax cards. This is all on the city website. So if you went to the tax maps and clicked on this 46, it would come up. I don't know if you know John Fink. He used to own that house. So if you click on 46, which is not his property, it comes up with his name and all the information from his house and the information on this 52-acre lot. When you click on 46-1, it just comes up blank. But that 46-1 is the lot that Mr. Newman wants to develop the campground. So actually, we have to send out a butters notices. So it's some of the paperwork. This lot is referred to as 46, and this lot's referred to as 46-1. So when the planning office did the butter notice, they drew, look at that one map, the little red circle around that 46. That is the butter's notice as that went out. And there's a total of... All those red lots are the abutters. So there were 17 abutters for this property. However, what should have gone out was 500 feet from 46-1, which, as you see, pretty well includes all of Alton Avenue, some houses up here, not so much the last street, you know, some down Bayside. So those, now, some of you, I'm guessing, live in those houses because we probably got out. But we haven't done the correct notice. So, and I'm glad you all came out, but we're not going to do anything with this project tonight because it's not fair to the people who haven't received notice and they want to chime in on this. And I understand you all came out, and now you're going to have to go home. You can listen to the rest of the projects I'm dealing with. You probably don't want to. But I mean, thank you for coming out. And most likely, it'll appear back on next month's agenda with the proper abutter notices going out. at which time you'll have more than ample opportunity to express your opinions on this. Okay. It's not really public here.

A larger room like up at the high school?

I guess it would depend on how many more people we think may come.

Can I ask just two questions? One is, John Fink, when he lived here, told me... I'm dodding. Bash on. Sorry. Sorry. And I'm the chairperson for the cemetery commission for the city of Ellesmora. John, when he lived here, said that there was a graveyard on or by his property.

You see this little... Is that that little square?

Yes. So that will not be anything to do with the cemetery? No. With the development?

No.

And where on that big chunk of land was the proposed... Well, I can't really get into a big... All right, well, I'm good.

Thank you. I mean, we can't really discuss it, but I mean, if you have a... I know you're all wishing you could say something. I mean, a simple question, you know, I'd be more than happy to try to answer, but nothing to do with the project itself.

You can also reach out to the planning department. The application has been submitted. It is public record. If you have any questions, you can email us. I'm sorry, how do we get that? Send me an email. Thank you all.

If neighbors... I know there's some neighbors that weren't able to be here tonight, and I guess they were smart, but...

They can submit an email. That's what I was going to ask. Send it to the planning department.

Summer plans.

I mean, we already have one, and we've gotten emails in the past on projects. So they get read? Yes, they're all distributed to all the members of the planning board.

Thank you.

Are we allowed to submit any... written statements or anything prior to the planning board meeting next month?

Yeah, you can submit it. Submit it to me.

Any questions, comments, any time? It's one of, you know, no time restrictions. As long as I have the comments before the packet goes out, they'll go in the planning board packet and then it's not a week before they get their meeting. If it's submitted after that kind of thing has been given out, we wait until the meeting to give them those comments.

I mean, to be like, you know, you're here tonight, you wanted to say something. Well, geez, I can't make it next month, but I want to say something. I mean, and even though we're not dealing with anything tonight, there's still going to be two meetings. We have a preliminary and a final. So there's still at least two more meetings for this project. If you don't think you can make it to the preliminary and or final, you know, submit something in writing to the planning department, and the members of the planning board will receive that in our packet.

So there will be no decisions made until the final, right? Until the final meeting? Correct.

The preliminary is for us to decide whether the applicant has submitted the correct information. The final decision was not being told the final meeting. So there's going to be, should be two more meetings. The preliminary, which would most likely be next month, We won't make a decision on whether, yes, this is approved or not.

And this is just attributed to an oversight?

Yes. The butters notice just went out to this lot instead of this lot. As you can see, there's a lot more.

We're aware. So can I make a comment?

Not on the project itself.

I just want to know why Elton Avenue wasn't informed. Whereas the other rolls were.

It has to do with the butter note. Do you live on Alton Avenue? Yes. Okay. So this is, all these lots here, is what should have received a letter saying Mr. Newman is proposing a change. Could you go back to the other?

How would you go about saying that we think there should be a sound barrier? Nope, can't discuss that. That'll be next.

Feel free to submit something in writing or come to... You see, this is the lots that the voters notice went out to. when it should have been all about Madeline. That's why we're not going to discuss it tonight. And so some of you will get another letter. Some of you may not, that we're kind of 500 feet from this, but not 500 feet from this. Feel free to come.

I want to ask a procedural question to Brittany and to John. If people want to submit stuff in writing to the planning department with their questions, whether they're going to make it next time or not, or they just want to get their questions heard. Are those letters shared with the applicant prior to the meeting, or is it just to the board? The letters are to the board, not to the applicant.

They should be shared with the applicant.

Yeah.

Good. Excellent. Question for the question that got answered by the application. Yeah. Yeah.

So unfortunately... Thanks for your honesty. Yep. Thank you.

The rest of the meeting will probably be quick. He says, I'm going to be here in a minute. That was interesting.

Okay, so make a motion every table the preliminary plan review for the Anchor Inn, Camp Brennan, Tax Map 5, Lot 46. Second. Okay. All in favor? Aye. Okay. Item number four, preliminary plan review of a major use site development plan entitled P.E. O'Halloran Inc., applicant owner P.E. O'Halloran Inc. Proposal is to construct a paved area for display, storage, and sales of storage containers and sheds. The subject property is approximately 13.9 acre lot located at 923 Bangor Road. Tax map 5, lot 13-1. And the road is only this way. I don't think that's tax map 5. It seems like Bayside Road that we just tabled was tax map 5. You got that right off?

75.

75? 75. Okay, so tax map 75, block 13-1. Someone here representing P.E. O'Halloran, Inc.?

Andrew McCullough.

Okay.

So for a brief summary, P.E. O'Halloran... purchased this 13.9 acre lot and they created under minor site plan review through the code enforcement office a paved area and that paved area even as as it is now is not suitable to for all of their needs for storage, display, sales of their storage containers and sheds. So their desire is to create a 2.5 or 2.6 acre paved area here so that they have adequate space and they can return to using their other facility south of here for more of their maintenance and operations rather than display as well as maintenance and operations. So we are proposing to strictly create this paved area that triggers major site plan review, it triggers a stormwater management permit from the Maine DUP, and it requires, or we have submitted information to the Maine Department of Transportation so that they can approve the discharge of the stormwater to the road ditch or review it and determine or verify that there's no concern. So as part of that, we created, designed two underdrained soil filters, one at the north end of the site and then one at the southerly end of the site so that sheet flow is coming down across this paved area and then it's diverted either through a swale to the north or using a curb to the south of the entrance and then directing it into these two underdrained soil filters. These soil filters provide quality treatment as well as provide temporary storage so that our peak flows at the road ditch are less than the pre-development peak flows. There is no proposed permanent building here. There is no proposed sanitary sewer or subsurface wastewater disposal system here. There's no proposed well water use. It is strictly, for lack of a better word, just a self-service area for people to view these units that are for sale. PEO Halloran does have an entrance permit for the existing entrance that is there. There is a second entrance there currently on the southerly, toward the south, and that will be used as a construction entrance because it is centrally located. And then the main DOT is requiring that that be removed. There was some discussion or the goal was to potentially use that as the primary entrance and remove the one to the north, but the DOT has said that this proposed location is not suitable for their access management standards. I haven't gotten into the details on that. I didn't submit the application. I think it's separation between other driveways potentially on the other side of the road. But I haven't looked to see.

I think you're getting the southern end will be closer to the big curve of the road.

It is closer, but there's still a lot of sections there. So we proposed only very minimal night lighting, only a little bit for security. I have shown the light distribution of those two fixtures because we or the owners don't anticipate that this is going to be, people are going to be roaming around there at night at least looking at the product. I think in summary, we have provided buffers on the north end and the south end where there is not existing vegetation on the property. And I did highlight for my request, for my perspective, I guess, for lack of a better word, that as this is a, this is for display and sales of these storage units that, I believe it, or in my opinion, It's similar to the standard that the city has for car lots and display of car lots where a roadside buffer is not required. But I have noted that in the application. I think that covered it.

So let me just... Yes. And then there's another driveway right now. Yes. There's another driveway down that's blocked off with . Yes, it is blocked off.

Okay.

And that one will be closed down. Yes. And the whole site will be serviced by that one driveway to the north.

That's correct. That's correct. That's the bottom line, yes. The, we do have permission to utilize it for the remainder of the year, 2026. as construction. The middle one. Yes, the middle. The more southerly one. The more southerly one. Yeah, okay.

So noting that the southerly one is, looks like it's substantially larger than the one to the north. Are you planning, are they planning on expanding that to... a different size or are you going to maintain the same size?

No, the one that's there is to remain as is. As is? Yep.

Okay, because I'm looking at the one to the south and it's a fairly larger entrance. Yep. Okay.

And I should have checked this somewhere, but how wide is the northerly one? I mean, is it wide enough to allow, you know, someone coming out and someone going in at the same time?

I guess that would be my question. I didn't check to see the size.

And I didn't bring scale rules.

Okay, well, let me just say this then. Yes. That if that driveway width is not adequate for two lanes, it should be.

Oh, yeah, I agree. So. Yes.

You know.

Looking at the scale, it's at least 40 feet. Is it? Just based on. Thank you. Based on the scale. 40 feet.

So the throat of it, the narrowest point is 30. That's okay.

One to the north?

Yeah.

Okay.

More than two lanes, essentially. Yeah, right. Yeah. And then there's wide radiuses there.

And I assume that there's no set circulation pattern or anything like that. There is not. Because that could be changed given whatever he's displaying.

Correct. That's exactly correct. And that is part of what I had narrated to Thomas when I sent him an email about this project is the exact layout I can't give you because it will change. And that's fine. Right. Yeah. No, that's exactly correct. Okay.

I'll get back to the... On the DOT permit, Matt, what did you say?

Well, your bar scale's off, so I have to delete that comment.

Do you have not...

I got a 40 scale on here. Your plan says one inch equals 40 on my 40 scale.

But you're on a reduced sheet, aren't you? Whenever I got it. Yeah, that's a reduced sheet.

This does no good.

The DOT application on the section C says increasing width by 10 feet. So we need to resolve that. So I think the DOP is saying the paved entrance.

I'll review that with the owner.

And it may well be that it needs to have the extra width because of the trailers.

Max of 30 there.

Right, max of 30, correct, right now. But I'll observe that with the owner. Okay.

Because it actually says on the desired width of driveway entrance, 40 feet. It says increase in the width by 10 feet.

That's big enough to get those containers delivered and shipped out.

Yeah, with the rate, I mean that really, honestly, the key is the radiuses. Right, right. As much as anything. Yes.

Okay. And you'll use a suitable turning template or whatever. Yeah. Okay, just on page, unnumbered page, but there's a thing that says driveway entrance parking and trip generation rates. Yeah. Okay? And while the bottom line is there's not a lot of traffic here and that shouldn't be a problem, and I do not disagree with that, okay, all the rest really seems to kind of need some more, a little more accurate work, okay? You used the 6th edition of the trip generation thing with whatever models were paired during the 6th edition. Well, the trip generation stuff is up to the 11th edition now. Yeah. So that means that whatever models there were, they might be the same, but right now they're kind of 10 plus years out of date. You, it was noted that, And I understand from what you just said there about why you use new car sales as the appropriate land use. I don't think that's probably right for trip generation, okay? Plus the fact that you got the land use number wrong anyway, 840 to 841. So I would just argue that you just need, and this is not a huge, But you just need to have it kind of updated and a little more thoughtful. And again, I don't think that's going to change anything at all, quite frankly, because I think it is a really low volume. But that one page is not very convincing and probably not accurate.

Um, yeah. I just want to ask a question on this one. Sure. On the trip generation. The last sentence in the first paragraph that says this site will typically be occupied by one employee. So is that an employee that's going to be there all day or come down from the other lines?

They're going to come and go. Okay. Yeah. Don't imagine that that person.

I'm just concerned if that was the case, there's no facilities. Right.

But it is, it's not going to be a constant.

And I might suggest, the attempt was to use the ITE stuff, so that's a valid attempt. Yeah. It might be just as useful and probably more accurate just to get some idea as to how many trips are being generated in a day, by the configuration as it is now. In other words, how many cars are really coming and going. Yeah. Now. Right. And we just, you know, kind of double that or whatever. Right. As opposed to trying to fit a model. Yeah. Which really isn't, probably isn't applicable.

Right. No, I mean, I, yeah.

So, when in doubt, count.

Okay.

It's, you know, way to go.

Any questions on the other end of the table? Let's talk about landscaping. You've asked for a waiver. I mean, currently and for many years, this has just been an old one. So basically, you don't want to have to put trees around it. Correct.

I mean, yes. I mean, we don't want to screen because, you know, the purpose is to display these things for sale. Yes.

I mean, I don't have a big problem with that. I mean, you have some landscaping at the north end and the south end. I mean, the north end, I would agree with that because it somewhat screens Robbie's cousin's house. He sold it. Oh, okay. I love this. I know Robbie's cousin's house. I like that.

Formally Robbie's cousin's house.

I would agree with that. I mean, I like landscaping, but at the southern end, basically the only thing you screen in is a radio tower. Aye.

I agree, and I don't really think it has any benefit. The problem is, or, well, the way I looked at it in looking at the ordinance, you know, it says if it's open. I mean, the vegetation starts right at the, or just beyond the property line. Yeah. So it is screened, but it's not the owner's vegetation. Yeah. You know, I mean, there is vegetation down there just off the property line. And so, no, it's not accomplishing anything at this point at all. No.

And if someone bought that adjacent parcel and wanted to do something with it, there would already be vegetation there? Well, the adjacent property is the radio tower for the city.

It's a tower. A little bit further south is a two-unit apartment, but there's trees between that apartment and the tower. That's surrounded by trees, actually. yeah it is the city already does maintain a chain gate thing there to separate the properties anyway i didn't realize that was the city yeah sort of funny i mean unless anybody else thinks they should plant trees at the southern end it's not a big deal but it's like kind of yeah what's the purpose right i will point out that we are a tree city so we should be in favor of trees

So we won't cut, they won't cut any down.

Right, we're not cutting trees at least.

Gotcha.

There's no additional signage. It's going to be all mounted like on the containers.

There is an existing sign there right now.

But nothing new.

The, I will say and ultimately it hasn't been decided I mean, that sign that's currently on the site that I have shown is going to be in the middle of the parking area. Any relocation of that will be subject to coming to the city for review with Robert.

And that's you guys? Yeah.

Yes. Okay. Because, I mean, the applicant owner did get a permit for the existing sign that's there before he installed it.

So that existing sign is in addition to what's on his trailer?

That's right. We're not going. Isn't that right? The only permitted sign on the lot is the one in the middle of the new lot. Everything else is recommended.

Is that sign there now?

Yes.

So the signs that Rick is talking about, can we make that a condition of approval? Yes.

Well, I think our ordinance doesn't cover that at this time, because I've asked that on other applications, like do we have anything for signage on the face of the building, the number, the amount, and we don't have anything to cover that, correct, Robert? Yep, there's nothing there.

I mean, it's a gray area.

Nothing firm to stand on to deny.

Exactly. So, and the, just one more question on the entrance to the north. Yes. Gated, cabled, or chained?

It will be controlled at night, yes.

Is there a Knox lock on that? Not that there's, I don't think anybody thinks it's going to burn over there.

Who knows?

Any other questions? I will open public hearing. Anybody out of the four people in the audience has a question, comment? I will close the public hearing. Any other comments from staff or Andrew?

I forgot what he said about the chain business. Is there going to be sufficient, if somebody pulls in, sees the chain, it's at night, they pull in, will they be able to back out onto Bangor Road? with safety, like is there going to be enough of a space that they could pull in?

The chain won't be right at the face? No, it would not be right at the shoulder. Okay, good. Okay, good. Presume, presume. Yeah, because, I mean, I think that's a 100-foot ride right away there, so I think it's in the center of the road. So, yeah, so, I mean, there's a pretty good road to that driveway before we can... And the things that are...

So, did we do... Well, did you want... Did we put in the proposed waivers or exemptions? For preliminary or moving to the final? Preliminary is pretty much just accepted.

We're just determining completeness so we can wait until the final.

Okay. Easy motion B, that's complete.

Yeah. Can I do that? You can do that. Okay. I move to find the major use site development entitled BEO, Allard, Inc., complete. Second. All in favor? Mm-hmm.

You may. Did you get one? I did. I rolled it up, or I folded it up, and I shuffled it together. We usually don't see the money part of it.

We've got item number five, final plan review of a major subdivision and major use site development plan entitled Sportsman's Mobile Home Fit. The applicant and owner is Brown, Ford, and Veazey. The proposal is to construct eight new mobile home lots. The subject property is approximately 22.56 acres located at 1239 Bango Road, tax map 92, lots 26 and 261, located in a rural home district. Someone here representing the applicant.

Amy Young, Plymouth Engineering.

The floor is all yours.

Because this is final, I've already been in front of you guys. I went through the notes from the last meeting. Hopefully I addressed those in all of your packages. Went through the technical review meeting, addressed the two comments that Brittany had. So not much has changed since the last time I was here.

Any questions on the board? I have one for you. I cannot find, or maybe it's not in there, but I am concerned, I think I mentioned this the last meeting, the water level inside the fire cistern. Whose responsibility? As far as I can see, it's the owner's responsibility to make sure that water level is at the proper level, not the fire department's. There needs to be a narrative on the plan indicating that the owner will maintain that level and continually monitor it. there is a level alarm on it and it is connected directly to the well so if it ever falls below that level the well will automatically fill it back up i and i understand that but there needs to be some sort of narrative indicating that it is the owner's responsibility okay for that and you can put that on the final plan okay and then um that would be appropriate you okay with that That way it takes the responsibility away from the fire department in the event that that electronic monitor fails and then something happens and there is no water there. Okay.

Okay?

Any other questions? Anything from staff? comment, question?

We're on the right to my wife and it's her birthday.

He's been taking pictures of us up here.

You never know who's going to show up for what.

Well, I walked in and I was like, oh, what did I do now? Scott's like, there's got to be something else on the agenda. And then they all walked out.

Have you taken us all to dinner? No. Is it your birthday? I thought it was the new guy. Nothing from the staff.

Motion? Yeah, sure. I move to approve the major subdivision of major use site development entitled Sportsman Mobile Home Park with the condition that map 92 lot 26 and map 92 lot 26-1 be combined.

Is there a second? I'll second. All in favor?

So I had brought final plans for you guys to sign, but I am going to take them back and add that note, and I will get them back to Brittany, and hopefully you guys can just sign them at the next meeting. I don't need to come back for that.

You can normally just pop in and sign, so you could get it back before next month.

back and I will add that note. And is there any particular language you want to see other than that it is the owner's responsibility to do you want me to work with you on the proper language?

Yeah, we can. Okay.

I'll send you an email with my and you can edit because I'm used to red lines. Thank you very much.

Item number six, ratify planning board designee. Take it away, Brittany.

Basically, so the way the ordinance is written, the planning board secretary or designee is responsible for posting the agenda and writing the minutes. So I don't know if it was... has officially been designated in past history, but we wanted to make things official and actually designate and designate.

That's a good idea, because I wouldn't be able to do it as much stuff as I got going on.

So, yes, that is the purpose of this agenda item. Do you have somebody in mind? Designate. City planners, or the city planner system has typically been the designator, but we don't have one, so we need to meet. Okay. Okay.

So what does this accomplish?

It makes it official.

It dots an I and crosses a T. Okay.

Paperwork. Stuff.

And is there an agenda? I mean, is there a motion or anything?

I did not prepare one. I'm sorry.

But is one required?

I think so.

Do you have some sort of narrative for that as to the job description or what they are? It's in the ordinance. Okay. Well, there.

So it should be as simple like, a motion to appoint the city planner as the planning board secretary's designee.

Second motion.

You should make that because you were the planner or is it her designee?

Say that again and I will repeat it.

Use it in a sentence. Use your words.

Move to... Officially designate the city planner and his or her designee as the planning board secretary's official designee.

That the planner be designated as the designee for the planning board. How's that?

Planner or planner's designee.

Planner or planner's designee.

You can write it up however you need to.

We'll make it work.

The spirit is here.

According to the ordinance. Come on, give Andrew a break. He's trying to take notes. Okay, all in favor? No more discussion. Staff comment.

The Village Partnership Initiative is hosting a public meeting on June 10th here in the council chamber to discuss the proposed proposals mock-ups for the Village Partnership Initiative area.

This is the High Street one?

This is the Water Street, Main Street area.

There's not going to be any road diets in this?

There are no proposed, not to the extreme as the other project, no.

Don't look at me like that. She's not ruling out road diets.

I wouldn't say there were any road diets, but they're not as impactful as Other proposed road diets have been.

Okay, so this is a council workshop, basically?

No, it's actually a public work, like a public outreach informational... Is the link to the survey now active?

Because I read this and immediately went to the survey like a good planner and couldn't get there because it was closed.

I have not had official confirmation. It was supposed to be... It was supposed to be active potentially last Thursday, but there were some last-minute edits, and I'm waiting for a response to see if it is active or not.

Okay.

But it should be, hopefully, by the end of this week.

This is more for the downtown?

Downtown Water Street. State Street.

June 10th at what time?

June 10th at...

Or you can fill out the survey.

Or you can fill out the survey.

Actually, yes. There will also be tabling events.

There will be some tabling events and flyers posted around town as well.

Anything else?

Anything?

Cool. Any communication from Shelly? And it seems like the Beals Avenue is pretty much dead in the water. And the courts, right?

It's still in the courts. No movement on that.

I also, last week, I also saw that the subject parcel for the Nova Plaza is for sale.

Yeah, okay. By the bridge. Oh, I saw the sign.

I was going to ask that next. No idea. But we haven't heard anything from them, and now it's for sale. Really? Wow.

They took the old trailer out a while ago. They cleaned it up. The old house is still there, and now there's a for sale sign. Well, it's done.

So much for that point.

We're not doing very well with getting these projects started. We're approving a lot. We're doing our job.

We're approving. We're doing our job. Yes. So when people come around and say, who's doing what? Yeah.

You're doing your job.

Exactly. Now we just get city staff to come on board.

Yeah.

We're trying. We done? Yes. Motion to adjourn?