At its regular meeting on Monday, Sept. 14, the Gorham Planning Board voted unanimously to approve Amazon.com Services LLC’s application for construction of a 146,280 square foot “last mile” warehouse facility on Main Street (Route 25), east of the town center. Five Planning Board members (Hager, Benson, Delaney, Frank, Nichols) were present for the vote; one member (Walsh) was absent and one board position is currently vacant.
The approval followed a short presentation by project representative Chris Taylor, P.E., from Sebago Technics, who outlined recent site plan modifications, as well as a brief discussion among board members and Town staff. Numerous local citizens attended the meeting to witness the board’s discussion and vote. No public comments were taken at the meeting, as the agenda item was not designated as a public meeting.
Following the board’s decision, disappointed attendees gathered outside the Municipal Center, where representatives of local citizen group Gorham United shared their intention to explore other avenues to oppose the project. The group has launched a petition to enact a 6-month moratorium on industrial developments that generate more than 1,500 average daily vehicle trips. The Amazon project is estimated to generate 3,000 average daily trips.
State level environmental and transportation approvals for the project remain pending.
Following the Amazon vote, three other agenda items were taken up by the Planning Board.
A public hearing was held on the site plan for New Portland Parkway Subdivision, a proposed 9,820 square foot warehouse with 4 individual units on Jenna Drive, including associated driveways, parking, and stormwater infrastructure, with a proposed subdivision amendment revising the impervious cover allocation. The property is zoned Industrial. One member of the public spoke in favor of the project but raised general concerns about pedestrian safety issues on the roadway. The board moved to table review until the next available meeting, pending site plan revisions: 5 Ayes, 1 Absent (Walsh), 1 Vacancy.
A public hearing was held on a site plan amendment to revise the approved landscaping plan for Dollar General, located at Cornerstone Drive off Dingley Spring Road, zoned Roadside Commercial. One member of the public spoke against the project. The board moved to table review pending additional information and revisions to the plan: 4 Ayes, 1 Nay (Frank), 1 Absent (Walsh), 1 Vacancy.
The board discussed and reviewed the site and preliminary subdivision plan for Southridge Condominium Association, a 22-unit multi-family development and associated infrastructure proposed to be constructed on a 4.33-acre parcel on South Street, zoned Urban Residential. Preliminary subdivision approval was granted: 4 Ayes, 1 Nay (Hager), 1 Absent (Walsh), 1 Vacancy.
Three other agenda items were not taken up due to Planning Board lateness rules: the final subdivision and site plan for 30 units of multifamily housing on County Road (Thistle Petite Condominiums); subdivision plan pre-application review for a 6-lot residential subdivision, part of a mixed-use project located at 239 County Road; and an amendment to the Land Use and Development Code zoning map to create a new University District zone to implement the Comprehensive Plan. These items will be scheduled for the second monthly meeting of the Planning Board on Sept. 28.