Planning board defers Sebago View preliminary approval over open‑space ownership and traffic questions

The Raymond Planning Board on June 10 declined to grant preliminary approval to the Sebago View subdivision, saying the proposal needs clearer open‑space ownership arrangements and more data on traffic impacts along Webs Mills Road.

Justin Roma of PM Roma Consulting Engineers, the project presenter, summarized the application and said the team has submitted a full stormwater design, a hydrogeologic assessment and is coordinating with the Portland Water District and MaineDOT for driveway and utility approvals. "The critical piece that we're hopeful to be able to work through here tonight is the preliminary approval of the project," Roma said, urging the board to accept the materials while the remaining agency approvals proceed.

Several board members and residents questioned whether the project's proposed open space — largely the pole‑line/pipeline corridor and the stormwater ponds — meets the town's intent for green space as set out in the recently updated comprehensive plan. Resident Jennifer Danzic urged caution: "I just want to make sure that the green space is in line with what our comprehensive plan ... we voted on in order to keep green space available as we continue to grow," she said.

Board discussion also focused on traffic safety. Members raised that posted speeds on Webs Mills Road are inconsistently observed in practice and asked whether DOT counts or town speed data should inform sight‑distance and access decisions. Planning staff and others noted that MaineDOT conducts seasonal traffic counts and that the town could request crash history; the board asked staff to pursue available DOT data and to explore options such as speed enforcement, traffic calming measures or whether mitigation should be a condition of approval.

The board signaled it was not comfortable issuing preliminary approval without clearer documentation that the proposed open space meets the town's objectives and without better traffic data; members suggested alternative approaches including moving certain stormwater basins or placing the corridor land under HOA ownership rather than leaving it as private lot backyards. The board asked the applicant to revise the submission and return with clarified open‑space ownership language and for staff to seek traffic and crash data from DOT or other public sources before further action.