Subdivision planned in Kittery with 13 houses, public access to Kittery Land Trust trails

KITTERY, Maine — A residential and conservation subdivision has been proposed on Andys Lane, which would include public access to nearby Kittery Land Trust walking trails.

The Kittery Planning Board will continue its review of the 13-lot “Twin Oaks Subdivision” plan on Thursday at 6 p.m. after first hearing the pitch in September. All of the units would be single-family homes, though none will be marketed as affordable housing, according to the proposal.

“The applicant has expressed interest in donating some of the open space on the property to the Kittery Land Trust; this is a private matter and not purview of the Planning Board until confirmed but is being mentioned as the plan set shows a proposed parking lot between lots 9 and 13 to provide public access to (Kittery Land Trust) nature trails,” a project description states.

Project records filed with the town’s planning department show owners and applicants Anne and Chip Andrews are proposing to divide 14.1 acres of a 36.06-acre parcel into 13 single-family residential building lots at 28 Andys Lane. A home already exists on the property and would be maintained, while the area where a demolished construction service commercial building once stood will be replaced by one of the single-family homes.

The overall plan would include three lot “clusters,” per filings with the town. Each one would be built with a community septic system.

“There is an existing building and other features associated with a previous commercial landscaping business that will be removed,” states a letter written by Jodie Bray Strickland, senior project engineer with CMA Engineers. “An existing residential dwelling will remain and be incorporated into the subdivision. The development will be served by private, community subsurface wastewater disposal systems and Kittery Water District water.”

More: Affordable housing, hotel, restaurant in updated Outlets at Kittery redevelopment plan

The town’s affordable housing ordinance required the Andrews to provide upwards of two affordable housing units in the development or pay an in-lieu fee.

Kittery’s zoning code notes that “all major subdivisions, including those planned in phases, in all zones that create five or more lots,” are required to have a fraction of proposed units reserved for affordable housing. In those units, rental prices would be reduced and people with certain income levels would qualify to live in them.

The applicants opted to make an in-lieu payment, as outlined by the town, with zero affordable housing units in the project.

The conservation subdivision would be located off Cutts Road and is proposed within the town’s Residential-Rural zoning district. The development would be accessed via Cutts Road and include two cul-de-sacs.

The Kittery Planning Board meeting will take place Thursday at Town Hall at 6 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Proposed 13-home Kittery Maine subdivision has access to KLT trails