The Gorham Planning Board met at 7 p.m. on May 4 for its regular monthly meeting, with all members present. On its agenda was a public hearing regarding a proposal by Amazon.com Services LLC to construct a 24/7, “last mile” warehouse and distribution center on Main Street (Route 25), east of the town center. The retail giant submitted a site plan for the proposed 146,280 square-foot warehouse facility, including parking, access drives for trucks and delivery vans, utilities, and other associated infrastructure, in March.
Around 100 members of the public were on hand to hear the Amazon project team present the site plan. Following their presentation, Planning Board chair James Hager recognized some 40 attendees who wished to comment on the project. Though several people spoke in its favor, citing the potential for job creation and property tax benefits, remarks against the project dominated the public comment portion of the meeting. More than 30 speakers raised concerns that included traffic, safety and environmental issues; negative impacts to quality of life; and the project’s incompatibility with Gorham’s Land Use and Development Code.
Following the conclusion of the public comments, the Board voted, per Planning Board rules, to extend the meeting for discussion of site plan issues and necessary waivers with the Amazon team representatives. Before adjourning at 11:07 p.m., the Board granted the applicant’s requested waiver for three curb cuts rather than the allowed single curb cut (7 Ayes), as well as a waiver for overhead utilities across the Portland Water District easement area (6 Ayes, 1 Opposed (Nichols)).
Project review will continue at the next applicable date, pending site plan revisions.
The meeting can be viewed in its entirety at https://www.gorhammaine.gov/boards.