New 46-unit elderly life care facility proposed in Wells, Maine: Here's the plan

WELLS, Maine — A proposal to build new housing for the elderly on Post Road is currently working its way through the town’s planning process.

The applicant, Geoffrey Aleva of Civil Consultants in South Berwick, wants to construct 46 elderly housing units on approximately 9 acres at 2030 Post Road. The homes would be part of a life care facility that would include infrastructure, parking spaces, and amenities such as a shared community building and a pickleball court.

Drakes Station, LLC, of Sanford, owns the property in the town’s General Business and Residential-Commercial districts.

During a meeting in April, the Wells Planning Board continued its discussion of the proposal for 60 days to give the Aleva time to address numerous issues. Chief among them is the overall square footage of building space proposed for the residential-commercial portion of the property.

As the application stands now, there are approximately 6,000 square feet of building space proposed for that portion of the overall project. According to the town’s ordinances, only 5,000 square feet are allowed in that district.

“From a zoning perspective, it’s just not allowed right now,” town engineer Mike Livingston said.

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Aleva told Livingston and the Planning Board that he could adjust that residential-commercial square footage downward in the hopes of getting preliminary approval for the project. If circumstances allow in the future, that original footprint could be restored, he said.

Aleva will also need to address how contaminated soils on the site will be contained, and how open space targeted for conservation would be configured and used. Aleva will also need to address drainage matters at the site and gather information about potential traffic impacts at the property.

While the extension lasts into June, the applicant could appear at the Planning Board’s meeting on May 6 to review these issues further, Livingston said in a recent email.

A preliminary public hearing for the project will be held sometime in June, Livingston added.

The applicant is aiming to subdivide the lot. According to town documents, one lot would be 60,525 square feet and would consist of a two-family duplex that already exists. The second lot would be 352,418 square feet and would be slated for the elderly housing units.

Both lots would be served by the public water and sewer.

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How upcoming town meeting may impact project

The upcoming annual town meeting on June 11 comes into play for the project, according to Livingston. Proposed revisions to the town’s life care facility ordinance are on the ballot.

The article on the town meeting warrant seeks to retroactively amend the Land Use Ordinance to provide definitions, establish the sizes of lots and dwelling units, and establish performance standards as they would pertain to life care facilities. The amendment also seems to address the uses of such facilities within the town’s Residential-Commercial and General Business districts and its Residential A and Rural districts.

The developer for the 2030 Post Road project is currently incorporating the proposed ordinance changes into the application, under the assumption that voters will approve them in June, Livingston said.

If the amendments pass, the town officially will define a life care facility as consisting of dwelling units for elderly people or physically disabled individuals. Such a facility would consist of shared community space and would provide tenants with housekeeping services, personal care, assisted living, transportation options, medical support, physical therapy, and recreational opportunities.

Livingston added that the project would not be subject to the town’s proposed moratorium on large-scale housing developments if voters approve it on June 11. The reason is that the Planning Board found the application for the project complete on April 15 and is now considered "vested" according to the local ordinance and state statute.

"Once a project is vested, it cannot be subject to a retroactive ordinance," Livingston said.

The proposed moratorium, if approved by voters, would be retroactive to April 16.

Aleva could not be reached for comment.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: New elderly life care facility proposed in Wells, Maine