November Planning Board Update
- December 6th 2024
- Planning & Development
A site plan shows how the former Springvale District Courthouse will be developed as senior housing.
By Jack McAdam
The Sanford Planning Board has cleared the way for the former Springvale District Courthouse to be remodeled as affordable housing. At its Nov. 20 meeting, the board unanimously approved a final site plan for the Sanford Housing Authority proposal.
The project will provide 18 apartments available to seniors who meet income eligibility guidelines.
The courthouse has been vacant since last summer, when all courthouses in York County were consolidated at a new center on Route 1 in Biddeford.
Also approved on Nov. 20 was an amendment to the Avesta Housing project at 14 Patriot Place that included the addition of an accessory office building and minor changes to the parking lot and solid waste disposal areas. Board members acknowledged Fire Chief Scott Susi’s concern about maneuvering fire equipment close to existing buildings on the site, but said there was nothing that could be done about that. The vote was 5 in favor, with member Todd Rothstein abstaining because he works for Avesta Housing.
Proposals didn’t fare as well at the board’s Nov. 6 meeting.
Food truck court: The board deadlocked, 3-3 with one member absent, on a request to rezone the parking area next to the Sanford Springvale Soccer Association’s fields to allow for a year-round food truck court. The area is zoned rural residential, and three board members were concerned that the requested urban zoning would allow several uses that wouldn’t be suitable for the neighborhood and would require a costly sewer line extension. This sent the zone change to the City Council, which held a first hearing this Tuesday. Another hearing will be required.
Hanson Ridge housing: The board rejected a proposed zoning change from Residential Development to Urban for land along Hanson Ridge near Route 202 to allow for the use of private sewerage systems and construction of two single-family homes. Board members were concerned about the number of uses allowed that wouldn’t be suitable for the neighborhood. The proposal is to place two homes built by students at the Sanford Regional Technical Center on land owned by the Sanford Kiwanis Club.
Chicken farm: The board decided that because of a deed restriction, they could not consider a proposal to rezone 17 Oak Ridge Road from single-family residential to commercial farming to allow for the raising of more chickens than are allowed in residential neighborhoods.
