Brunswick Planning Board Meeting - June 23, 2026
Brunswick Planning Board Meeting - June 23, 2026
The Brunswick Planning Board met on June 23, 2026, to review three items: a site plan amendment for the Golek multifamily affordable housing development (case 2621), a final plan for the Pinehaven Preserve 65-unit single-family condominium project (case 2529), and a workshop on draft comprehensive plan amendments (case 2628). The board approved the Golek project with conditions, tabled the Pinehaven project to July 28, and voted to forward the comprehensive plan amendments to the town council.
Consent Calendar
- The board unanimously concurred with staff's completeness determination for case 2621 (Golek multifamily development), allowing substantive review to proceed.
- The board unanimously approved a waiver allowing removal of 10-inch caliper trees as shown on the plan for the Golek development.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Carol O'Donnell (Brunswick Housing Committee chair) expressed strong support for the Golek project, noting the committee awarded a grant from the affordable housing support fund and calling it "totally affordable housing."
- Jennifer Navarro (Thomas Point Road resident) opposed approval of the Golek amendment, arguing the record lacks sufficient evidence for required findings on financial capacity, stormwater performance, and transportation impacts. She cited concerns about a lack of sidewalks, intersection level-of-service F at Bath Road and Thomas Point Road, and reliance on unsupported assumptions rather than project-specific evidence.
- Paul Whitcomb attempted to comment on a public works expansion but was informed the board does not accept public comment on items not on the agenda.
Discussion Items
- Case 2621 – Golek Multifamily Development Amendment: Applicant Cheryl Golick and team presented revisions made since the previous meeting, including updated financials, a Maine Housing notice to proceed, affordability covenant details, and stormwater design changes to achieve three feet of separation from seasonal high groundwater. Board member Chris questioned the stormwater detail (removal of a hydrodynamic separator and discrepancies between the plan and report), the pedestrian access path, and the need to verify no wells within 300 feet of infiltration systems. Staff confirmed the well check passed (nearest well >400 feet). Board members praised the project's affordable housing focus.
- Case 2529 – Pinehaven Preserve Final Plan: Applicant Andrew Kerman described a 65-unit single-family condominium development on Old Portland Road, reduced from earlier 96-unit townhome plans. The project includes extensive wetlands (about 15 of 30 acres), a 75-foot stream buffer, stormwater treatment via gravel wetlands and sand filters, and phased construction. Board members raised concerns about: long-term protection of wetlands within individual lots, the lack of a connecting road (only a boardwalk) between two dead-end roads, the waiver request for a dead-end road serving more than 25 units and exceeding 1,500 feet, the phasing timeline, developer responsibility for common area costs during build-out, and the financial capacity letter lacking a specific number. Steve suggested connecting Sarah Drive across to Asher Hollow Path as an alternative. Alison and Bill expressed discomfort with the two long dead-end roads and the hardship justification for waiver. The board decided to table the project.
- Case 2628 – Comprehensive Plan Amendments Workshop: Principal Planner Jimmy Dielman presented proposed amendments addressing state review comments from the Maine Office of Community Affairs. The most significant addition is 38 policies and 68 strategies required for state consistency. Other changes include updated habitat mapping, a new regional coordination section, corrections, and a memorial acknowledgment for Vice Chair Fred Kerber. The Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee unanimously recommended forwarding the amendments. Board members expressed support, noting the changes are state-driven and improve the plan.
Key Outcomes
- Case 2621 – Golek Multifamily Development: Approved unanimously (motion by Steve, second by Chris) with three conditions: (1) prior to building permit, applicant must submit evidence of secured funding to satisfaction of the Planning Director; (2) prior to building permit, applicant must submit an updated stormwater report removing references to the hydrodynamic separator; (3) approval refers to all materials and comments in the public record.
- Case 2529 – Pinehaven Preserve: Tabled unanimously (motion by Steve, second by Allison) until July 28, 2026, to allow the applicant to explore a road connection alternative and address other concerns raised by the board.
- Case 2628 – Comprehensive Plan Amendments: The board voted unanimously to forward the draft amendments to the town council with a recommendation for adoption.
- Correction: At the end of the meeting, a board member corrected the record regarding the rate-of-growth ordinance: state review of such ordinances every three years applies even if the ordinance only covers the rural area.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. Welcome to the June 23rd, 2026 Brunswick Planning Board meeting. We have three projects before us 2621, the goal of multi multifamily development, which we tabled two weeks ago, and which we will remove from table and from the table and hear testimony. Case number 2529, Pinehaven Preserve, a major development review final plan, and case number 2628, draft comprehensive plan amendments workshop. We're missing three members tonight. And I'll introduce people here at the table on my far right, Steve Walker next to Steve, Chris Baldwin on my near left, Alison Harris next to Alice and Julie Erdman, Director of Planning and Development. Next to Julie, Jimmy Dealman, principal planner, and next to Jimmy, Matt James, our land use planner, and I'm Bill Dana. Do you have any comments? Any of you before we introduce the first project? Okay. Matt, would you mind? Yeah, first we have case number 2621, the Golek multifamily development. The planning board will review and act upon a tabled site plan amendment application submitted submitted by POL LLC on behalf of the property owner Cheryl Gollick for the modification of approved paved parking areas, pedestrian walkways, utilities, and stormwater management systems. The subject of property is located at 23 Thomas Point Road, Map CC2, lot 37, and within the growth mixed use four or gym for zoning district, Indy Cook's Corner Overlay or CCO subdistrict. Okay, thank you. Motion by Chris, second by Steve. All those in favor, that's unanimous of the board members present. And then staff has reviewed the application and determined that it's complete. I'd like a motion that the planning board concurs with staff's conclusion that the basic major development review application materials have been submitted and that the application is complete such that the board may proceed with substantive review of the application and identification of any further information required from the applicant. Motion by Allison, second by Steve. All those in favor, that's unanimous of the board. Would you Kara or Cheryl like to make uh a presentation before we come to the board? Hi, I am Cheryl Golick and um from Harpsville, and I'm trying to get this project. And I guess I just want to touch base on one thanking you all um for helping us check the boxes and and getting this going. It's been a long process. I started this process in 2022. Um, you know, and started doing studies for all of it in 2023. So I just say that to clarify that it has not been a rush project by any means. Um just an important project that was we're trying to get done. But I did want to share with you just a little bit of what I've learned over over the last few years is how expensive it is to build affordable housing. Um and four years ago, I would have laughed at somebody that said that to me when they said I have to build market rate housing or higher. Um because it's more expensive to build uh affordable housing. Um, and it is because you'll have a cost cap. You can't just raise the rents, and I don't wish to or desire to ever. Um this is a project that I'm very proud of and looking forward to getting through and breaking the ground and hopefully being able to do that soon after tonight. I I think that's all I have to offer. I have a team here that will be able to answer any further questions that you have. Right. Thank you. Nice to see you again. Um appreciated the comments at the last meeting. We tried to um pull together some additional information um in response to those comments. Um we sent some additional financial information, um, two things that were requested, an update of the notice to proceed with main housing, which um we were able to get signed with them and with some new dates in that document. Um and then also information on the affordability covenants that are required as part of the main housing financing. So that's been sent to you. We also shared some photos from other projects just so you could get a sense of like what we're trying to build here. Um and detailed answers to many of the questions. We also have the engineers, hopefully, um, without tech issues at the beginning this time, um, who can kind of walk through the changes on the technical uh feedback we got, um, which we appreciated and I think we were able to incorporate, and we also have um Letha here who can answer questions on the soil analysis that um we did some additional work there as well. So uh Jim, are you there? Hi, Jim.
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