Saco Planning Board Meeting – July 21, 2026 – Subdivision, Warehouses, Mixed-Use Approvals
Saco Planning Board Meeting – July 21, 2026
The Saco Planning Board convened on July 21, 2026, at 6:00 PM under Chairman Matt Prevenzel to review three major applications: a final subdivision at 196 Jenkins Road, a site plan for two warehouses at 955 Portland Road, and a site plan for a five-building mixed-use development at 991 Portland Road. The board adopted minutes, approved a consent calendar item, and held public hearings. Key decisions included final subdivision approval (5-1), continuation of the warehouse application to September 1, and unanimous approval of the mixed-use project.
Consent Calendar
- 11 Eastview Parkway Unit 103 – The board approved a completeness determination for a conditional use review for an automotive repair service within the Portland Road Zoning District (applicant: GE Motorsport). Motion passed 6-0.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Inga Brown (161 Road, Ward 1) – Spoke on the 991 Portland Road application, arguing that the Park North contract zone was repealed in 2021 and that the city has not properly established vested rights. She stated that the application should be reviewed only under the Portland Road zoning district, not as a contract zone. She also questioned the adequacy of the financial capacity letter from Androscoggin Bank. She requested the board leave the hearing open for further clarity.
Discussion Items
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196 Jenkins Road – Final Subdivision of 14 Residential Lots (Applicant: James Lowry, BH2M, on behalf of Missourian Development) – The applicant presented updated plans addressing staff and city engineer comments, including a drainage easement, evergreen plantings along lot 10, and a revised road maintenance agreement. The public hearing was opened and closed with no public comment. Board member Jeff Brochou expressed disappointment over the lack of road connectivity and a missing sidewalk, stating he could not vote in favor due to inconsistency with ordinance goals. Other members noted the applicant’s responsiveness and the protection of wetlands. The board adopted findings of fact (6-0), then approved conditions of approval and final subdivision approval (both 5-1, with Brochou voting no).
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955 Portland Road – Site Plan for Two Commercial Warehouses (Applicant: Amy Bell Siegel, Sebago Technics, on behalf of Rochelle Rochelle LLC and Northland Enterprises) – The applicant presented plans for a 37,858 sq ft phase-one warehouse (One Stop Event Rental) with a future 37,000 sq ft phase-two building. The proposal included a parking waiver (34 spaces vs. 150 required), stormwater management, and preservation of stream buffers. The board discussed sidewalks, buffering, architectural design, turning movements, the removal of fuel tanks from the plan, and the need for a DOT letter. The public hearing was opened and closed with no public comment, and the board voted 6-0 to continue the application review to September 1, 2026. A site walk was scheduled for the following day.
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991 Portland Road – Five-Building Mixed-Use Development (Park North) (Applicant: Matthew Orr, Sebago Technics, on behalf of Park North Development) – The applicant clarified phasing, utility capacity, and parking allocations. Board questions focused on phasing logic (why buildings 4 and 5 are last), the food truck pad, and the financial capacity letter. The public hearing was reopened and closed. Inga Brown’s testimony raised concerns about the contract zone’s vested status. Board members debated the issue, with Jim Moyer and Chris Gagnon arguing the city council’s SOP and past approvals settled the matter. Nate Johnson (council liaison) noted remaining questions but agreed the board’s purview was limited. The board adopted findings of fact (6-0), conditions of approval (6-0), and approved the site plan (6-0). The parking waiver was deemed unnecessary due to a shared parking agreement.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes of July 7, 2026 – Adopted 6-0.
- Consent Calendar (11 Eastview Parkway) – Approved 6-0.
- 196 Jenkins Road Final Subdivision – Findings of fact adopted 6-0; conditions of approval and final subdivision approval both passed 5-1 (Jeff Brochou opposed).
- 955 Portland Road – Public hearing opened and closed; application continued to September 1, 2026, with site walk scheduled for July 22, 2026.
- 991 Portland Road Mixed-Use – Findings of fact, conditions of approval, and site plan approval all passed 6-0. Parking waiver resolved via joint parking agreement.
- Next Meeting – August 11, 2026 (training); August 18, 2026 (regular meeting).
Meeting Transcript
All right, 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 Socil Planning Board. As chairman, 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 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. As we engage in our deliberations, let us remind remember the profound impact these decisions will 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 fosters growth, prosperity, and harmony. And with that, I would like to call this meeting of the Tuesday July. With us this evening, myself, the Chairman, Matt Prevenzel, and to my left, we have our Vice Chair Joyce Larry Clark and Plenty Board members, Jeff Brochou, Catherine Pelini, and to my right, Jim Moyer and Chris Gagnon. With us this evening as well, our staff members, we have our city planner, Charles Tellman and Lisa Harman, our planning compliance manager, along with our Ward 7 City Council liaison Nate Johnson. With that, we will move to our first item of business, which is the review of our previous meeting minutes. Board members have any questions, comments or edits to that draft document. The video of the full meeting can be watched on the planning board website on the city. So again, the following what council's doing to some extent that the minutes are reflecting kind of the official motions and actions of the planning board with kind of briefer summaries because getting things verbatim is really difficult and time consuming for us. Um but we also have the recording, so let's refer folks to that. Great, thank you. With that, Mr. Chair, I would move that we um adopt the draft meeting minutes from the July 7th, 2026. Um as presented this evening. Second. Great. Thank you for the motion, Jeff and the second. Jim. Any additional discussion? Jim. Mr. Chair, I just want to alert everyone. I have reviewed all the materials for July 7th, and I watched the entire meeting, so I feel comfortable voting on the minutes. Great, thank you, Jim. All right, those in favor? Chris. Yes. Jim? Yes. Joyce. Yes. Catherine? Yes. Jeff? Yes. I'll vote yes as well. Motion passes 60. Our next item is our review of our after-the-fact packet, which I don't see this evening, so no after-the-fact packet. With that, item six on our agenda. We have our consent calendar item. This is 11 Eastview Parkway Unit 103 map 64 lot 6-2-53. This is a application of completeness for conditional use review for an automotive repair service within the Portland Road Zoning District. And the applicant is GE Motorsport. Board members have a motion to on this item. Mr.
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