Residents, planners and town councilors took a closer look last week at revised boundaries proposed for town growth areas where a new state law taking effect July 1 requires denser housing development.
Several of the dozen residents at the second “Planning for Change” community meeting March 4 wanted details on the exact boundaries from the town’s Planning Board, Comprehensive Plan Committee and Planning Department.
The attendees, half of them remote, were responding to the town’s request for public opinions on required changes to local land use ordinances that would accommodate more housing.
As Town Planner DeCarlo Brown navigated South Berwick’s online GIS maps for the group, a few residents asked for a detailed map showing not only the proposed growth area and current growth area, but street names and water and sewer lines so they could better orient themselves to the boundaries; Brown agreed to create that map.
In response to resident Brad Christo, of Oldfields Road, objecting to inclusion of Outlook Golf Course and Dunn’s 121-acre farm off Circuit Road within the new boundaries, Brown noted they are not new inclusions, having been designated as growth areas in the town’s 2024 Comprehensive Plan.
They remain on the new map because both properties are located close to the downtown area with access to sidewalks and amenities, he said.
The draft of the proposed map is being fine-tuned by the Planning Board to reflect public feedback as the board adjusts boundaries. Final decisions on amending the Comprehensive Plan regarding size and placement of the growth areas are scheduled for the board’s Wednesday, March 11, meeting.
Two additional community meetings will be scheduled to get public input as the board continues work on land use ordinance design standards that can guide future development and maintain neighborhood characteristics even as more housing is added.
The state law expanding housing development in Maine cities and towns is scheduled to go into effect July 1, although the South Berwick Town Council has asked for an extension of that deadline. (see related story)
Several residents last week expressed worry that the capacity of water and sewer services might be inadequate to handle new development after last year’s loss of a $3 million federal grant to upgrade the Sewer District’s wastewater treatment plant and last summer’s outdoor water bans. The federal grant was recently restored, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree’s website announced last week.
Though the designated growth areas of town could see the highest densities of housing, any place outside those areas, if it has access to public water and sewer, could still see development of up to eight units per acre under the state law.
Any project that requires a building permit from the Town also requires sign-off from the sewer and water districts that would provide the building with services, Brown said. Sewer and water districts are quasi-governmental entities with governing boards elected by customers and regulated by state law, and are not under the Town’s jurisdiction.
According to the 2024 Comprehensive Plan, the South Berwick Sewer District was at 52% capacity; a federal mandate requires upgrades when a plant reaches 80% capacity.
“I support the idea of reducing the size of the growth areas,” said an Agamenticus Estates resident who asked not to be named. “Let’s try things out and not jump in with both feet, and initially see what mistakes we can avoid.”
Town Councilor Paul Schumacher, in attendance at the meeting along with Councilor Mallory Cook, also supported reducing the growth area and suggested a joint Planning Board and Town Council hearing to speed the process. Schumacher also called attention again to finding ways to protect rural areas in town, suggesting growth caps are still an option.
