By Nate Jones

Staff Writer 

The Scarborough Planning Board weighed in on the proposed referendum question concerning a change in the current “Business 2” (B-2) zoning of the Scarborough Downs property on Monday. The proposed zone change would allow development of a new “Scarborough Village” after a third public hearing on the $1 billion project.

Local horse breeders and blacksmiths continued to voice their support for Scarborough Village and, for the first time, no members of the public spoke against the proposed 500-acre project. 

“Maine as a state went into the gambling business long ago [with the Maine State Lottery],” Scarborough resident and horse breeder Bob Tourangeau said. “People like to gamble, there’s nothing wrong with gambling.”

Resident and blacksmith Ernest Lowell said he was “sad to see our agriculture going away the way it is,” and believes the revitalization of the Scarborough Downs facility would preserve local farmland.

“We can’t forget the farms that we still have,” he said.

Scarborough Village Partners spokesperson Gene Beaudoin reminded the planning board that the town council decided to table their decision on the zone change until after the Nov. 4 general election, an option also available to the planning board. 

“You have a real anomaly with this public hearing,” Beaudoin said. “For the question to be added to the ballot the town council must hold a public hearing and so must the planning board. You don’t have to do anything tonight.”

Town Planner Dan Bacon said it was the planning board’s role to comment on any change in zoning and the proposed referendum question had raised some concerns. As proposed, he said the referendum question could be interpreted to allow slot machines on all racetracks in a B-2 zone.

“Potentially a developer could come in, build a racetrack and be allowed [to have slot machines],” he said. “It needs to be more project specific.”

Bacon said it is uncommon to allow “Town Village Center” (TVC) standards in a B-2 zone, as the referendum question – drafted by Scarborough legal counsel and approved by the town council at a Sept. 24 special meeting – proposes.

“Make it a TVC, not a TVC in a B-2.” planning board member Anne Littlefield said, adding that she was not personally in favor of a racino in town.

It is also unusual to include a monetary value in the ordinance change stipulating an $8 million would be provided to the town in taxes as part of the zone change, Bacon said. 

“That $8 million shouldn’t be in there, it’s speculative,” planning board member Charles Callahan said. “It would be hard for me to approve something with that speculative of a number.”

Beaudoin said the $8 million was included as a tax “floor” for the project to meet via a host agreement between the developer and the town council, should the zone change be approved by voters. To receive the same amount of tax dollars from real estate, Beaudoin said the town would have to increase its real estate value by $1 billion.

“That means you would have to increase the town by one-third to generate as much taxes as one gaming facility,” he said.

The planning board unanimously approved recommending the town council ensure that should a zone change occur on the property, it would be to a TVC in lieu of allowing TVC uses in the current B-2 zone. 

 The planning board recommendation also advises the council to take measures ensuring the referendum question would only allow video slot machines on the Scarborough Downs parcel and not other parcels in a B-2 zone and suggest the monetary value be removed from the proposed agreement, Planning Board Chairman Allen Paul said. 

“There are still a lot of hurdles for this project to pass, should voters even approve the change,” he said.