Planning Board Updates

Springvale District Courthouse is on the way to being remodeled as apartments.

Photo: Gail Burnett

Photo2: An architect’s drawing shows the exterior of Jagger Lofts, in the Jagger mill building.

By Gail Burnett

The Sanford Planning Board moved forward in October on two projects that will convert well-known buildings in town into housing.

On Oct. 2, the board approved a preliminary subdivision site plan for the former District Courthouse in Springvale. The Sanford Housing Authority is proposing an 18-unit senior living facility for the building, which has been empty since district courts were consolidated in Biddeford. Formal approval would come after a final site plan is submitted.

On Oct. 16, the board recommended that the City Council approve a zone change from industrial to urban reuse zone for the historic Jagger Mill building on Water Street in Springvale. Developers are proposing to turn the building, which still houses Worsted Spinning New England and the retail business Jagger Spun, into Jagger Lofts, with about 80 apartments. The zone change would mean the applicant wouldn’t need to apply for a contract zone, a more complicated process. The board also held a public hearing on a change to the sign ordinance that would say that historic signs like that on the Jagger building would not count toward the total allowable sign space. The board recommended that this change be approved.

In other Planning Board business last month:

Food truck park: The board tabled a proposal from the Sanford-Springvale Soccer Association to rezone its gravel parking lot on Shaw’s Ridge Road from rural residential to urban to allow for a year-round food truck park. Board members were concerned about uses that are allowed in the urban zone.

Medical marijuana: The board recommended a change to the city ordinance regulating medical marijuana offices. The change was required to bring the ordinance into compliance with state law. Two board members, Jace Clark and Tom Morgan, abstained because they are federal employees, and the federal government still classifies marijuana as illegal.

Genest Concrete Works: Board members approved, with conditions, a major site plan amendment for Genest Concrete off High Street to allow construction of a 10,000-square-foot building for production and curing of precast products made on site.

Urban density: The board recommended council approval for a revision that would allow smaller minimum unit sizes in the urban zone. This is to encourage a mixture of development patterns and allow for increased density within existing neighborhoods.

TPD Construction: A request to extend a proposal from TPD Construction for a building on Country Club Road 1 was approved. The project was approved two years ago and not yet built; without the extension, the applicant would have to start over again.