By Nate Jones

Staff Writer 

At the end of 2007, the Scarborough Town Council delayed plans for a new residential neighborhood and an athletic facility in the vicinity of Running Hill Road on the Scarborough and South Portland border by passing a moratorium limiting any new subdivision or commercial project in the area. Scarborough Town Planner Dan Bacon said the six-month moratorium was extended in June to allow for further review of the zoning around Running Hill Road and developers could have another bite at the apple – under new mixed-use zoning regulations – by mid September. 

“There would have been uncontrolled growth,” Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee Member Dave Merrill said. “[The moratorium] gives us a chance to react and have some forethought before letting a developer do whatever they would under the current [Business 2 (B2)] zoning.”

After working with the Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee for more than six months, On Monday, Bacon presented two new proposed zones for the area; a Running Hill Mixed Use District to encompass properties on the northern side of the street and a Running Hill Transition District  for abutters to the south. The new zones allow similar residential, mixed and non-residential uses, although developments on the northern side of the street more than 45 feet in height will require a 300 foot buffer from the road, which has some current residents concerned. 

“Give me some zoning we can understand,” Running Hill Road property owner Harry White said. “Show me one other place in Maine that requires a 300 foot setback.”

Other residents say the current B2 and Rural Farming (RF) zoning in the area is enough for the neighborhood.

“I like being Rural Farming. It seems to meet my needs,” resident Martin Feeney said. “This thing has gotten so complex and so detailed, maybe the Comprehensive Plan ought to be adjusted.”

Bacon said a stipulation grandfathering existing structures would be added to the new zoning ordinances before it is presented to the town council Aug. 20.

In other business, commuters used to taking advantage of Sunset Road and Maple Avenue to avoid traffic lights on the section of Route 1, south of the Scarborough connector, may have to find a different route if the town adopts a proposal from Sebago Technics – the engineering firm working on addressing possible traffic issues created by the Scarborough Retirement Community on Elmwood Avenue. 

Sebago Technics traffic engineers suggested to the planning board Monday night a plan limiting access to Sunset Road by creating a “jug handle” intersection that would force motorists coming from the Scarborough connector to make a left hand turn back onto Route 1, and abandoning a section of Elmwood Avenue.

“I love the changes I see, even though it’s an inconvenience for me,” Sunset Road resident Alison Davis said.

Planning board member John Chamberlain dubbed the “jug handle” proposal “creative, innovative and out-of-the box,” but agreed with planning board member Anne Littlefield when she said it could create problems for residents on Vale Road, First street, Second Street, Third Street and Hudson Avenue, including the Scarborough Animal Hospital. 

“There must be a way to provide access to the vet and not eliminate the egress for the rest of the community,” Chamberlain said. “I know you can do it.”

Other board members had concerns about closing a portion of Elmwood Ave.

“I have a philosophical issue with closing a public street,” planning board member Cory Fellows said. “To me, it indicates a failure to come up with solutions to fundamental and underlying issues. As a planning instrument, [closing a public street] should be a last resort. It’s a dangerous precedent to set.”

Planning Board Chairman Paul Allen suggested a “trail closing” of Elmwood Ave before officially abandoning and removing part of the street. 

“Before we make it permanent, let’s make it temporary. I don’t know how we’d do it, maybe with jersey barriers or something,” he said. “What kind of backlash would there be? Is it going to matter to the general public if we cut off that access?”

Allen said the planning board was scheduled to continue its discussion of the new retirement home – focusing next on the specific architecture to be featured at the facility – at their Aug. 25 meeting.