planning department - Town of Scarborough

Report from Planning Department continued
been focused on remodeling, additions and accessory living
units as homeowners chose to improve their property rather
than buy new.
Development Review
On the review and permitting side, our Planning Staff
coordinated and reviewed development plans and staffed
sixteen Planning Board meetings. The Planning Board and
staff reviewed a range residential and non-residential
development projects and issued final approvals for those
listed in the table below. The review and approval of the
Red Robin restaurant along Gallery Boulevard, a major
addition to the Piper Shores retirement community, the
approval of a commercial subdivision along Route One in
Dunstan, and an extension of the Carter Brook Drive
residential subdivision are the larger projects taken up by the
Board.
Comprehensive Plan Implementation
2011 marked the fifth consecutive year of work by Planning
staff, our consultant Mark Eyerman of Planning Decisions,
and the recently renamed Long Range Planning Committee
on implementing the Town’s Updated Comprehensive Plan.
This committee has worked diligently to carry out the
recommendations of the Comprehensive Plan and
modernize the Town’s zoning and land use standards. I’d
like to take this opportunity to recognize the committee for
their dedication and resolve to complete this significant task
as well as for the very thorough and inclusive public process
the committee uses to craft and work through these zoning
changes in the various villages and neighborhoods of
Scarborough.
Specific to fiscal year 2011, the committee’s achievements
included: an expansion of a village-style residential zone
(the Village Residential 2 District) in Dunstan to include the
area around the Dunstan Crossing development as well as
the east side of Broadturn Rd; updates to, and a small
expansion of, the commercial zoning in the vicinity of the
Black Point Rd and Highland Ave intersection to enable this
area to serve as a neighborhood center with small
businesses, civic uses and residences; and the creation of a
Aquifer Protection Overlay District that establishes some
new standards to help protect the Town’s sand and gravel
aquifer areas where the groundwater is particularly
vulnerable to contamination.
Planning and Engineering Studies
In addition to these other activities, our department has
been involved in some important transportation and storm
water-related studies and initiatives. One of the most visible
projects is the improvements that have been made to the
Haigis Parkway / Route One intersection, and by extension,
the Southgate / Route One intersection. This project was a
result of the Payne Road “West” Transportation Study that
included a range of recommendations to slow and reduce
traffic on the residential section of Payne Road; encourage
more use of Route One and Haigis Parkway by commuters
July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011
and visitors; and to fix safety and capacity issues at both the
Dunstan Corner intersections and Haigis/Route One. The
Planning Department helped design, permit and facilitate
this Haigis/Route One project, while the Public Works
Department did a masterful job of executing and managing
its construction. The result of this capital project is an
intersection with additional turn lanes, sidewalks and
crosswalks, and improved landscaping and aesthetics to
accommodate more traffic, lessen the improvements needed
at the Dunstan intersections, and establish a more attractive
gateway off of the Haigis Parkway. The next major step in
implementing the Payne Road Study is executing the
intersection improvements planned for Dunstan Corner,
which is on schedule for construction in 2012.
Another transportation effort in 2011 was the Oak Hill
pedestrian plan. Given Oak Hill’s importance as a
municipal, school and town center, the Town has been
making a consistent effort to shape this area as a more
compact, pedestrian-friendly place. To that end, we
received a grant from PACTS (the Portland Area
Comprehensive Transportation System) to examine ways to
make this area more walkable and pedestrian oriented. This
study was conducted in the spring of 2011 and resulted in a
comprehensive plan for sidewalk, crosswalk, landscaping
and other improvements that can enhance Oak Hill and
make it safer, more attractive and more appealing for
pedestrians to use.
The third planning initiative of note in 2011 is the Red
Brook watershed planning process. This is a planning and
engineering study that the Town pursued, with the assistance
of the Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation
District and Maine Department of Environmental Protection,
to study the condition of the watershed and establish a plan
of action to improve the water quality and habitat of the
stream and surrounding drainage area. This has been an
important effort, given that Red Brook has been classified as
an urban impaired stream (by Maine DEP). This planning
process included significant public participation and
decision making, and in June of 2011 resulted in a final plan
that includes both a summary of the watersheds current
status as well as a range of measures to be taken to maintain
and improve its condition. This plan will need to be
followed by a systemic implementation process in order to
see improvements.
Lastly, I would like to thank and recognize all of our staff –
Town Engineer James Wendel, Assistant Town Planner Jay
Chace, Chief Code Enforcement Officer David Grysk, Code
Enforcement Officers Tom Reinsborough and Jonathan
Reed, and Administrative Assistants Carole Logan and
Robin Dahms – for their hard work, dedication and
professionalism.
Respectfully submitted,
Daniel B. Bacon
Town Planner
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