Saco Planning Board Meeting - January 20, 2026: Subdivision Reviews & Public Hearing Continuations
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Saco Planning Board Meeting - January 20, 2026
This meeting of the Saco Planning Board included the approval of prior meeting minutes, a public comment period, a completeness review for a three-lot subdivision at 986 Portland Road, a continued public hearing for a 25-unit condominium project at 42 Ferry Road, and the tabling of several other items due to the late hour. The board also discussed scheduling challenges and agreed to a special meeting on February 24, 2026, to address the growing application backlog.
Consent Calendar
- Approved minutes from December 16, 2025, January 6, 2026, and January 13, 2026. The January 13 minutes were approved 4-0 with one abstention (Vice Chair Clark abstained due to absence). The other two sets were approved 5-0.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Greg Polk (10 Mineta Drive, Saco) spoke during the public comment period about a development (referred to as Waterfalls Drive, Park North, or Cascade Falls) that has not yet applied for final approval. He cited city code §188-910 regarding the applicant's responsibility for snow plowing until street acceptance, and requested that the board consider the situation when the application comes before them.
Discussion Items
- Item 6A: 986 Portland Road – Clover Leaf Development LLC – Preliminary subdivision and site plan review for a three-lot subdivision and a 320-foot private way. The applicant explained that the amendment is needed to separate phase one (120 apartments already built), future phase two (126 units), and a commercial lot for financing purposes. Board members raised concerns about incomplete items including financial and technical capacity, stormwater drainage, homeowners association documents, utility easements, and wetland permitting flagged by the peer reviewer (Normando Associates). The board voted to continue the completeness review and schedule a public hearing for February 17, 2026 (5-0).
- Item 6B: 42 Ferry Road – Big Ledge LLC – Continued public hearing for a preliminary subdivision, site plan, and conditional use to build 25 single-family condominium units. The applicant presented updated stormwater calculations, addressed the location of Seal Rock Spring (citing two Dow & Coulomb surveys), and discussed the man-made pond. Public testimony from abutters raised concerns about the spring's true location, stormwater runoff concentration, flooding risk, traffic safety, sidewalk connectivity, and the Conservation Commission's vague report. Board members deliberated on the spring location, stormwater treatment, pedestrian safety, and buffering. The board voted 5-0 to continue the public hearing to March 3, 2026, and directed staff to gather input from the Conservation Commission, police chief, and traffic safety committee, and to draft findings of fact and conditions of approval.
- Item 6C: 184 Simpson Road – Ecology Education – Continued public hearing. Due to time constraints (meeting had a hard stop at 9:45 PM), the board decided to table this item to the next meeting (February 3, 2026) without opening the hearing. Motion passed 5-0.
- Item 6D: 352 North Street – Tabled to February 3, 2026, pending legal review from the city attorney. The board noted the complexity of the pump station issue and the need for legal input. Motion passed 5-0.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes approved (various dates).
- 986 Portland Road: Completeness review continued to February 17, 2026; public hearing scheduled for same date.
- 42 Ferry Road: Public hearing continued to March 3, 2026; staff to gather additional reports and draft findings.
- 184 Simpson Road: Tabled to February 3, 2026.
- 352 North Street: Tabled to February 3, 2026, pending legal review.
- Special Meeting: The board agreed to hold a special meeting on February 24, 2026, at 6:00 PM to address the application backlog.
- Administrative: Reminder of a site walk at 483 Jenkins Road on January 21, 2026, at 8:00 AM; FOIA training reminder for new members.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone. Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed members of the planning board and valued community representatives. I welcome you all to this evening's assembly of the Socwal Planning Board. As chair, it is my privilege to convene this gathering dedicated to the thoughtful planning and development of our community. Together, we must I'm sorry. Today, we come together with a shared commitment to shaping the future of 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. It is our duty to maintain transparency, fairness, and inclusivity in our proceedings, ensuring that the voices of all are heard and respected. With that, I would like to call this meeting of the Tuesday, January twentieth, twenty twenty-six Soccer Planning Board to order. With us, our Vice Chair, Joyce Leary Clark, and Planning Board members, Jeff Brucho, Catherine Pailini, and Jim Moyer to my right. Our staff members with us this evening are our city planner, Charles Tettelman, along with Lisa Harman, our planning compliance manager. And with us, we also have our Ward 7 City Council liaison, Nathan Johnson. Our first item on our agenda this evening is our review of our meeting minutes. We have a few here. One from December 16th, January 6th, and January 13th. Board members, any questions, concerns or edits on any of those. Mr. Chair, I just comment that I wasn't present for the January 13th meeting. So Mr. Chair, with that, I would suggest we break them up in approvals, and I would move that we approve the January 13th, 2026 meeting minutes as drafted. Second. Motion made by Jeff and seconded Jim for the January 13th minutes to accept those as drafted. Any additional discussion on that motion? All right, those in favor, Jim? Yes. Joyce. I'll abstain. Jeff. Yes. Catherine? Yes. I'll vote yes as well. Motion passes 4-0 with one abstention. Mr. Chair, I would move that we accept the January 6, 2026 meeting minutes as drafted. Second. Thank you for the motion, Jeff, and the second. Jim. Any additional discussion on accepting the minutes for January 6th as presented. All right, those in favor, Jim? Yes. Joyce. Yes. Jeff? Yes. Catherine. Yes. I'll vote yes as well. Motion passes 5-0. Mr. Chair.
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