Townspeople will have a chance to be heard on a proposed zoning change in Gorham, which would allow Nappi Distributors of Portland to build a $13 million warehouse on lower Main Street.

Nappi, a distributor of beer and wine, has put a deposit on a 22-acre farm owned by John and Marlene Merriman. A sale would include the entire parcel, including the Merrimans’ home and barn.

“They offered me a price I couldn’t refuse,” John Merriman said.

The Gorham Planning Board has scheduled a public hearing at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 6, in the high school. The Town Council sent the proposal to rezone the parcel on lower Main Street from roadside commercial to industrial to the Planning Board for a public hearing and a recommendation.

Gorham Town Planner Deborah Fossum said Nappi’s proposal hinges on the Town Council approving a zone change. “It’s in the early stages,” she said. “I don’t have an application from them.”

Nappi Vice President Elmer Alcott said they’ve asked the town for a zone change. “We’re excited about doing something new, but it’s still a ways away,” he said.

The distributor, now located on Presumpscot Street in Portland, hopes to build a 135,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center on the Merriman farm. Alcott said testing and surveying were underway at the site.

“We are doing research,” he said.

Fossum said the site abuts the Gorham Industrial Park. It would be an expansion of the industrial district, she said.

David Cole, Gorham town manager, is pleased the proposal is moving along in a “positive” fashion. “It’s a very good company,” Cole said.

John Merriman, 78, is optimistic that the project would be approved by Gorham. “This suits the town. They’re all for it,” Merriman said.

He said Nappi’s plans would be good for the Gorham tax base and add excise revenue to the town. They have quite a fleet of vehicles, Merriman said.

Tom Ellsworth, president of Gorham Economic Development Corp., said both the real estate and excise taxes would provide significant revenue for the town. “The major positive impact would be the tax revenue and continuing to diversify the tax base,” Ellsworth said.

Ellsworth said the project appears encouraging and didn’t envision any potential requirements by the town that could block the deal. “We don’t expect many problems,” he said.

He said added truck traffic wouldn’t be during peak commuting hours and wouldn’t impact existing traffic patterns on Route 25. He said Nappi could be added “seamlessly” to the Gorham business community.

The Merriman farm is near Mosher’s Corner. Gorham officials are talking with the Maine Turnpike Authority about the possibility of a Turnpike spur to that area.

Cole believed the company’s decision to go to Gorham was made independent of a Turnpike spur. Cole said there’s no guarantee a spur would happen.

But Cole said Nappi mentioned the Turnpike spur in talks with the town. “They see it as a positive benefit,” Cole said.

Alcott thought a spur could be years away. “It certainly would be nice, great,” he said,

If the project were to be approved, John Merriman, 78, and his wife would have to relocate. He’d consider moving his house and barn if he could find “three or four acres” in the right location. The couple also has pondered building a new house.

The Merrimans moved to Gorham from South Portland 43 years ago. Merriman cuts hay on half the farm now, and he owned horses at the farm for years. But he hasn’t kept horses there for several years.

He didn’t want any more horses after losing one that he had for 23 years. “My favorite died and broke my heart,” he said.

Merriman also enjoys gardening and would like to continue it at another home. He planted fruit trees and grape arbors at his Gorham farm. He said many of the trees were young, and he could transplant them.

(Merriman 1) – Nappi Distributors of Portland is asking Gorham for a zone change to allow a $13 million distribution center on the 22-acre Merriman Farm on lower Main Street.

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