When Sandy River Health Systems decided to hold off on building an apartment complex that many expected to be an assisted-living home, neighbors and city officials became concerned the company had changed its strategy for the new housing development. Many feared the company planned to market the homes to families, which would put more children in local schools and more cars on the roads.

Now city officials are seeking a commitment from the company to restrict 80 percent of the 114 condominiums and cottages to people who are 55 years or older.

Considering the city changed the zoning so that Sandy River could build on the land between Stroudwater and Spring streets, the company should commit to the age restrictions the city is requesting as a sign of good faith. City councilors expected a housing complex for seniors when they voted to change the zoning, and those expectations were based on how Sandy River presented the project.

While we don’t believe Sandy River had any diabolical plot to market these condominiums to families, it’s understandable that some residents fear that’s who would move there without some restrictions in place. With a high school down the road and a junior high school being planned nearby, the location would be appealing to families. Stroudwater Street would be an attractive area to live – a place with a rural feel that’s minutes from Portland.

However, Sandy River Health Systems, the company that operates the Springbrook Nursing Home on Spring Street, is not in the business of building residential homes. It operates 748 skilled nursing and 220 residential care beds, according to the company’s Web site. The company was recently purchased by Genesis Health Care, one of the nation’s largest operators of nursing and assisted-living homes.

The companies are in the business of building and operating retirement and nursing homes with different levels of health care provided. And, they seem to do a pretty good business at that. Sandy River’s annual revenue was about $65 million in 2005, according to Genesis Health Care’s Web site.

The homes in the Westbrook development are designed for retirees. The condos and cottages have a master bedroom and only one additional bedroom. Most of them are one-story with few stairs, and there are no playgrounds.

However, Sandy River spokesman Daniel Maguire has said the company is reluctant to place a restriction on who can move there. To help cover the cost of building a road between Stroudwater and Spring streets – something the city has required – the company wants to be able to market homes in the development to empty-nesters.

However, the restriction the city is requesting would still allow for some flexibility. Sandy River could fill 20 percent of the homes with empty-nesters, or even families. That seems like a reasonable compromise, particularly because everyone has expected this to be a retirement community, and opening a larger portion of the homes to younger people would make that a misnomer.

It would, in fact, be inconsistent with what everyone thought this development was going to be.

Brendan Moran, editor

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