Neighbors of the proposed 42-lot Spurwink Woods subdivision and members of the Cape Elizabeth Planning Board are concerned about the impacts the development’s construction and increased traffic would have on nearby residents.
The proposed development is still in the preliminary stages of the town’s planning process, but the concerns were raised at a neighborhood meeting last week and at a Planning Board workshop Tuesday evening.
There was standing room only last Thursday evening at the neighborhood meeting, organized by the developers to address abutting residents’ concerns with the new development, which would be tucked between neighborhoods off the northern section of Spurwink Avenue, McAuley and Killdeer roads.
The developers, local real estate broker Jim McFarlane, Skip Murray of L.P. Murray and Sons and Craig Cooper of Rainbow Construction, answered questions ranging from the amount of blasting that would occur and drainage issues to the walking trails and sidewalks.
The major issue raised repeatedly by residents was the effect increased traffic would have on the currently quiet, dead-end street neighborhoods that exist at both proposed entrances to the subdivision.
The two dead-end streets that would be connected by Spurwink Woods, Dermot Drive and Killdeer Road, are not the only streets that would be affected. Residents of several streets in the area, Thrasher Road, Hamlin Street, Stephenson Street and Columbus Road, all voiced concerns with the increased traffic that would be expected on their streets.
Traffic engineer Thomas Gorrill of Gorrill-Palmer Consulting Engineers attended the meeting and told the gathered residents a project such as Spurwink Woods could not be done without public input. He said a traffic impact study would be conducted on the affected neighborhoods of Killdeer, Columbus and Thrasher roads, neighboring the southern entrance to the development, and Hamlin, South and Stephenson streets, near the northern entrance.
Gorrill said the Department of Transportation encourages connectivity between neighborhoods for the exact purpose of decreasing traffic.
Preliminary studies have highlighted a few areas of concern, Gorrill said, one being the sharp turn off Spurwink Avenue onto Stephenson Street and another being the sightlines at the turn into Columbus Road from Mitchell Road. Many residents in the audience echoed those concerns. Possible solutions would be included in the traffic study, Gorrill said.
Residents also asked that the traffic study include the impact of drivers using the new subdivision as a short cut between Mitchell Road and Spurwink Avenue. Because the traffic study is in the preliminary stages Gorrill said he had not considered the effects of cut-through traffic yet, but said it would be included.
Residents also asked that other possibilities be considered in the study, such as adding speed bumps and sidewalks. Sidewalks already exist in the proposal for the subdivision, but any sidewalks in surrounding neighborhoods would only be considered if residents in those neighborhoods decided they wanted them, said Town Planer Maureen O’Meara.
Residents at the meeting were also concerned with how the construction traffic and the large amount of blasting would affect the surrounding neighborhoods. Cooper, who would build the homes in Spurwink Woods, said he would try to keep the construction traffic and disruption at a minimum and encouraged residents to report any problems with disrespectful drivers.
“You might not like us, but we want to work with you,” Cooper said.
McFarlane said the concerns of the neighbors collected at the meeting would be integrated into the final plan as much as possible.
On Tuesday, the Planning Board reviewed the proposal for the second time, with board members echoing many of the same concerns raised by the residents.
The board is also considering asking for an independent consultant to review the traffic study, which is not usually done, but if it is, the review would be paid for by the applicant.
A final application would probably not be submitted to the Planning Board until October, Metcalf said. At that time the public would be able to review the plan at the planning office in Town Hall.
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