Plans for a 35-lot subdivision off Route 4 near Knights Pond Road brought together planning board members from both South Berwick and Berwick to figure out how to deal with traffic that would result from the development.
The proposed 174-acre Samville Estates subdivision is in South Berwick, but a secondary egress for emergency vehicles required by South Berwick zoning ordinances would go through Industry Drive and onto Route 4 in Berwick, according to Kenneth Wood of Attar Engineering, who presented preliminary plans to the two town boards this week.
The main entry to the subdivision would be through Meadow Pond Road and an existing neighborhood of 18 houses.
The subdivision is expected to add 350 vehicle trips a day to the 10,000 vehicles that already pass by daily on Route 4. A proposal to gate the Berwick entry to keep vehicles from accessing the development as a cut-through was rejected because it would send more traffic through the Meadow Pond neighborhood. Berwick board members suggested posting weight limits and making access to Industry Drive one-way.
No endangered species were found on the property during field studies completed in 2018-2020 on behalf of the owner, Mick Land Development, said Wood.
The subdivision was previously approved by the South Berwick board as a “cluster” development, which allows smaller lot sizes — 20,000 sq. ft. minimum instead of 80,000 sq. ft. required for conventional developments — and preserves more open space. Twenty-nine acres of open space would be turned over to a conservation group, possibly Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge, which conserves habitat for New England cottontail rabbits, said Wood. The refuge already owns land between Route 4 and Knight’s Pond Road.
A public hearing on the plan will be held at the regular South Berwick Planning Board meeting 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 3. Board members from both towns will take a site walk earlier that day.
They agreed a traffic study is needed to determine whether turning lanes should be created on Route 4. A third-party engineering review is also required.
Residents in the Meadow Pond Homeowners Association are concerned about the dramatic increase in traffic expected to go through their quiet neighborhood, according to Mark Lawrence, the attorney representing them. With its curves and cul-de-sacs, Meadow Pond Road was not designed for this additional traffic load, he said. Tony Palazetti, who lives on Meadow Pond Road, said that starting the site walk on the Berwick side of the development won’t allow board members to assess the impact on existing homes.
In other business, the South Berwick ordinance was amended to include municipal buildings among the developments requiring Planning Board review. Also, the final plan for a 3-lot subdivision on Lord’s Lane Extension was accepted after review, with no questions from the board.
