Planners schedule public site walk, hearing on Woodlands Senior Living project

CONCEPT drawing of the entrance of the proposed senior memory care facility.

By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

Due to the size of the project and “of great interest” to neighbors, the Bridgton Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed Woodlands Senior Living project on North High Street on Monday, May 24 at 5 p.m.

To get a better feel for where the 26,000 square-foot, one-story facility will be situated, planners will hold a site walk on Sunday, May 16 at 3 p.m.Site walks are open to the public. Two curb cuts currently exist that will allow attendees to pull off the road and park vehicles in the field area.

Civil Engineer Elliot Thayer gave a brief overview of the Senior Memory Care facility, which will include 48 beds and space for outpatient services. Thayer noted that the site includes two parcels (Lots 80A-80), totaling 19.6 acres, which will be reconfigured. Other notable characteristics:

• The facility will be connected to the municipal water system, but will use an onsite septic system (located to the left of the entry driveway) which will consist of two systems. Thayer noted that the leach field is about 250 feet from a neighbor’s dug well (the minimum is 200 feet). “The soils are all good for septic and the building,” he added.

• Lighting will be fully shielded, and additional tree buffer will be included between the facility and an abutting residence.

• Parking in front of the building will accommodate 20 visitors/guests, while another lot to the west of the facility will include spaces for 22 staff and outpatient services. “There will be enough parking for employees and complete overlap of shifts,” Thayer said.

A traffic study showed no issues, and a DOT permit to create an access from the facility and North High Street (a state road) has been secured.

• In regards to stormwater, Thayer spoke about a three filter “under drain” approach to be used (a DEP stormwater permit is being sought), which will also help mitigate current water flow from the property to a neighbor’s land.

• 1,000-gallon propane tanks will be buried on site, although Thayer plans to determine the exact number since Planner Dan Harden saw only one penciled in on the sketch plan. Thayer believes there will be “at least three.”

• There will be two larger ponds with berms on the North High street side of the project.

Planners suggested that Thayer be prepared to answer questions regarding lighting, what steps will be taken during construction to protect the environment, traffic information, amongst others.

“The public will have an opportunity to ask questions and express concerns (at the public hearing,” Planning Board Chairwoman Deb Brusini said.

The hearing will be via Zoom and in-person, although Brusini suspects that only five to seven seats will be available to members of the public since total room capacity to meet CDC spacing guidelines is 15, which includes board members and presenters.

In other Planning Board business:

Neptune’s Native Grown, a medical marijuana caregiver storefront, was tentatively approved for operation at 224 Portland Road (in the former Village Donut space located adjacent to Mack’s Place). 

Owner Jim Neptune told planners product will be grown (Minot) and packaged off site. The store hours will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

“When a person enters, they have to show an ID and have a medical card so we can be sure they are in the system. We sell only to medical marijuana patients,” Neptune said.

Neptune reviewed the operation’s security system with Bridgton Police and discussed additional interior exit signage and a need for a Knox box with the Fire Chief. As part of the approval (which will be confirmed at the next board meeting), Neptune was asked to present a map showing that the storefront meets the restriction of a marijuana storefront from being 1,000 feet from certain facilities, such as schools, licensed daycare, substance treatment centers, athletic fields and safe zones. Another condition is that signage meets both town and state ordinances and regulation.