Saco Planning Board Meeting - August 19, 2025: School Project, Conditional Use Approvals, and Substation Amendment
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Saco Planning Board Meeting - August 19, 2025
The Saco Planning Board convened on August 19, 2025, to review multiple applications including a new elementary and primary school on Beth Johnson Way, a conditional use for a vehicle inspection station, a substation expansion at 109 Main Street, a large residential subdivision, and several other items. The board approved several key proposals and continued others.
Consent Calendar
- The board reviewed and approved the prior meeting minutes. Digital copies were available online.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke during the public comment period or during public hearings for items 6B, 6C, 6D, 6F, 6G, and 6H. The public hearing for item 6E was closed at the prior meeting.
Item 6A: 12 and 14 Beth Johnson Way – New Elementary and Primary School (Saco School Department)
- Project Description: Site plan review for a consolidated Pre-K through grade 5 school complex at Millbrook and Portland Roads, with off-site intersection improvements and sidewalk extensions. The project is largely state-funded (roughly 75%), with local funding approved by referendum. The site is 57 acres, includes two buildings (elementary: 106,000 sq ft, 1,100 students, 209 staff; primary: 60,000 sq ft, 382 students, 59 staff), 313 parking spaces, and bus queuing for 16 buses. Construction is expected to start in late fall 2025 with a September 2028 opening.
- Application Completeness: City staff confirmed the application checklist was complete except for a building height waiver related to an enclosed stair in a mobile home park overlay district. The board determined this matter should be handled by the Zoning Board of Appeals. Board member Jim Moyer moved to find the application complete; seconded and passed 6-0. The public hearing was scheduled for September 16, 2025, in a separate 6-0 vote.
- Board Discussion: Members praised the project for consolidating schools and improving educational opportunities. A wetland delineation issue was resolved through peer review.
Item 6B: 1040 Portland Road – Conditional Use for State Authorized Inspection Station (Baruby Equipment Rental)
- Background: The applicant seeks to add state vehicle inspection services to their existing equipment rental business. City staff clarified that the current uses (two-family dwelling, retail, and accessory repair) do not permit automotive repair services; hence a conditional use is needed.
- Public Hearing: Opened and closed with no public comment.
- Board Action: Board member Jeff Brucho proposed a condition limiting parking of DOT-placarded vehicles to 24 hours, with the site not being a safe haven. The applicant agreed. The board adopted findings of fact (5-0-1, Catherine Pellini abstained), eight conditions of approval as amended (5-0-1), and granted conditional use approval (5-0-1).
Item 6C: 109 Main Street – CMP/Avangrid Substation Expansion
- Project: Upgrade and expand the Factory Island substation. The board had previously requested a sidewalk easement or license agreement for the downtown gateway concept plan.
- Updates: City staff met with CMP real estate team; a PUC process is required for a permanent easement. A license agreement or MOU is possible. Condition of approval #15 was revised to require coordination for a sidewalk agreement prior to project closeout, subject to PUC approval and MOU.
- Public Hearing: Reopened and closed with no public comment.
- Board Action: The board adopted findings of fact (5-0-1), conditions of approval as amended (5-0-1), and granted site plan approval (5-0-1). Pellini abstained.
Item 6D: Waterfall Drive Residential Development (195 Units) – Preliminary Subdivision
- Project: A phased residential development with 195 dwelling units, including a connection from Cascade Road to Route 1. The applicant (Park North Development/Sebago Technics) provided a status update on infrastructure and stormwater revisions.
- Board Discussion: Member Jeff Brucho expressed concern over stormwater pond accessibility and maintenance. The applicant indicated the city may not take over the ponds initially, leaving them with the homeowners’ association; they expect to resolve comments by the next meeting.
- Public Hearing: Continued to September 16, 2025, by a 6-0 vote. The board also continued the application review to that date.
Item 6E: 138 Main Street – BSOOB Transit Electric Bus Chargers (Site Plan Amendment)
- Project: Installation of two pantographic chargers for battery-electric buses on city-owned property (bus transit center). A decommissioning plan and draft lease amendment were submitted.
- Board Discussion: Jeff Brucho voiced strong opposition, citing aesthetic impacts on the historic district, safety concerns with new technology, and load issues. Other members supported the project as a necessary step for cleaner transit, noting the three-year lease term and decommissioning plan reduce risk. The landscape buffer was discussed; the applicant agreed to follow the peer reviewer’s recommendations.
- Public Hearing: Not reopened (closed at prior meeting).
- Board Action: Findings of fact adopted (4-1-1: Brucho no, Pellini abstain). Conditions of approval amended to include a landscaping condition (#23) requiring compliance with the peer reviewer (4-1-1). Site plan amendment granted (4-1-1). The board recommended the decommissioning plan be incorporated into the lease amendment.
Item 6F: 74 Industrial Park Road – Cannabis Manufacturing Conditional Use Amendment (Cosmic Solutions LLC)
- Project: Amend an existing conditional use to allow co-located adult-use cannabis manufacturing. The applicant reported sprinkler repairs underway and parking lot striping scheduled.
- Public Hearing: Opened and closed with no public comment.
- Board Action: Findings of fact and conditions of approval adopted each 5-0-1 (Pellini abstain). Amendment to previous conditional use approved 5-0-1.
Item 6G: 61 Cascade Road – Three-Lot Subdivision
- The board tabled this item to September 2, 2025, via a 6-0 vote.
Item 6H: Technical Design and Construction Standards Manual (TDCSM) Update
- Public Hearing: No public comment. The board recommended approval to City Council (6-0) with stipulation that staff address Jeff Brucho’s comments on secondary metering for street lights and inclusion of CMP’s service handbook and NFPA 70 references. Staff will follow up and incorporate changes.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Application completeness for Beth Johnson Way school (6-0); scheduled public hearing for Sept 16.
- Approved: Conditional use for 1040 Portland Road (5-0-1).
- Approved: Site plan for 109 Main Street substation with conditions (5-0-1).
- Continued: Waterfall Drive preliminary subdivision to Sept 16 (6-0).
- Approved: Site plan amendment for 138 Main Street chargers (4-1-1).
- Approved: Conditional use amendment for 74 Industrial Park Road (5-0-1).
- Continued: 61 Cascade Road subdivision to Sept 2 (6-0).
- Recommended: TDCSM update to City Council (6-0) with staff revisions.
- Next Steps: Planning department will bring revised SOP for board adoption at the next meeting; Ecology School traffic monitoring reports continue quarterly.
Meeting Transcript
All right, good evening, everyone. Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed members of the planning board and valued community representatives. As chair, it is my privilege to convene this gathering dedicated to the thoughtful planning and development of our community. Today we come together with a shared commitment to shaping the future in our city. That manners excuse me, in us in our city, in a manner that reflects our values, respects our heritage, and fulfills the needs of our residents both now and in the future. Our agenda tonight contains important matters, each requiring our careful consideration, expertise, and collaboration. As we engage in our deliberations, let us remember the profound impact these decisions have on the lives of all. Keeping in mind we're residents like you. It is our duty to maintain transparency, fairness, and inclusivity in our proceedings, ensuring that the voices of all are heard and respected. Together, we must embrace the responsibility entrusted to us by our community, working diligently and thoughtfully to chart a course that phosphors growth, prosperity, and harmony. With that, I would like to call this meeting of the Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Socco Planning Board to order. I look forward to the productive discussions and meaningful outcomes that lie ahead. And to my left, our vice chair, Joyce Lurie Clark, along with planning board members Jeff Brucho, Camilla White, and Catherine Pellini. Along with my right here, Jim Moyer. Our staff members this evening with us are our assistant city planner, Sandon Chisholm, our city planner Emily Cole Prescott, and our planning compliance manager, Lisa Harmon. And our Ward 5 counselor Phil Hatch as well. With that, we will move to our first item on the agenda, which is review of our prior meeting minutes. And we have a note here that our August digital copies that you can get online as well. Digital copies that you can get online as well. With that, we'll move to our next item, which is our public comment period. This is an opportunity for any residents or members of the public to come before the board and discuss any planning matters. We'd like to ask that any project specific matters be held to those application review periods. And with that, if anyone would like to speak this evening, please come to the podium and state your name and address for the record, and we will collect comments and address them appropriately. We will move to our next item on the agenda this evening, item six. This is our applications for review and public hearings this evening. Our first item is 6A, and this is 12 and 14 Beth Johnson Way. This is map 60 lots 15 through 18-1, and map 60 lot 20. And this is a site plan review for a new elementary and primary school with associated site improvements. This is presented by the Socco School Department. And we have an application of completeness review this evening. And this project is located within the Portland Road Zoning District. Board members, any conflicts or disclosures on this item before we begin. All right, and with that, anything to add, Emily. Thank you, Mr. Chair. We've been reviewing this application. Um city staff, we provided consolidated comments back to the Sacco school team. Um it's an exciting project for the city of Sacco as there's been uh a lot of public input already on the site location as well as on the approval of the referendum question. Um the school location will be at Millbrook and uh Portland Roads uh and the Portland Road Zoning District. It'll be consolidated schools as indicated on here. We have reviewed the application checklist. We provided that to you. Um there are easements that are being worked out between SOCO schools and the city of Sacco. Off-site improvements and the traffic movement permit. In this case, the traffic movement permit has already been issued by the state DOT. Just a friendly reminder, we process a tree clearing application back in February, and the property has been cleared. The future expansion areas. There are some expansion areas on the plan you might want to ask some questions about just for future programming. Required permitting going forward. The site location of development review is a cumulative scheme of development, so they will be considered as part of the Millbrook Business Park cumulative scheme.
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