Planning Board opens, then continues Park North mixed‑use public hearing after questions on parking and utilities

The Saco Planning Board opened a public hearing May 5 on the Park North mixed‑use site plan for 991 Portland Road and continued the hearing to June 16 after substantive discussion about parking, utilities and whether recent state statutory changes trigger subdivision review.

Matthew Orr of Sebago Technics, the project civil engineer, told the board the developer has added apartments on upper floors of buildings 1–3: Building 1 would have 12 apartments, Building 2 would have 14 and Building 3 would have 14. Orr said reclassifying some space as residential reduced the project's parking requirement under city calculations versus treating all space as office or retail; the project team said the change brought the required parking down from previous estimates.

City staff and the project team discussed wastewater and water service. Orr said the project received a capacity‑to‑serve letter from Maine Water after rerunning proposed uses; staff and others warned of a pinch point in the Waterfall Drive sewer segment that the city is studying. City Planner Charles Tettleman said he would seek legal clarification from the state on whether the new statute effective Jan. 1 changes whether developments that introduce multiple dwelling units require subdivision review; he expected to report back by the end of the week.

Board members also pressed the applicant on internal parking landscaping waivers, shared‑parking legal guarantees and easements, and snow storage arrangements. Applicant representatives said they control nearby parcels and can provide legal easements if required; staff said the ordinance allows shared parking but will check whether recorded easements are necessary.

Procedural votes: Jeff Brochu moved to open the public hearing; the board voted 5–0 to open. Later, with no public speakers present, Brochu moved to continue the hearing to June 16; that motion also passed 5–0.

Next steps: Staff will review outstanding DPW/WRD comments, DOT TMP materials and follow up on water/wastewater capacity and the subdivision question under the new state statute; the board will reconvene the public hearing on June 16.