The Westbrook City Council and administration are hoping a developer will commit to an age restriction on a development proposed as a retirement community.

Sandy River Health Systems, operators of Springbrook Nursing Home on Spring Street, have proposed a 114-unit development made up of condominiums the company said it would design and market to “empty-nesters” of Baby Boomer age and older.

The city would like the company to limit sales of the condominiums to seniors, legally ensuring that at least one person of 55 years or older resides in 80 percent of the homes.

The company has said repeatedly that it is committed to building a retirement community. However, it is reticent to place that legal restriction on the sale of the homes and, thus, hinder its ability to sell to people younger than 55.

At a Committee of the Whole meeting Wednesday night (Jan. 17), the councilors reiterated their support for the construction of the retirement community. However, they expressed concern that Sandy River might be forced to market to younger buyers if the market for empty-nesters dwindles during construction of the project, which the company said would take place in phases over five or six years. The development would then be particularly attractive to potential families should a new junior high school be built within walking distance to the community.

Councilors said they would not have supported an April 2006 zone change on the site from rural to residential growth if they thought it was possible families would be moving in. At the time, a major selling point for the development was that it would not burden the Westbrook schools or tax base but, instead, be a source of revenue for the city, said City Administrator Jerre Bryant at the meeting.

Sandy River spokesman Daniel Maguire said Wednesday that the company’s intention to build a retirement community has never wavered. Rather, Maguire said that Sandy River would like more flexibility to sell to younger people. This was particularly important, he said, because the city is requiring the company to construct a cut-through road between Stroudwater and Spring streets as well as a sewer infrastructure at great cost to the company.

The council took no action on Wednesday, instead preferring to bide its time while Sandy River continues to work with the Westbrook Planning Board on the project. Sandy River is still waiting for a site plan approval for the project from the planning board, which, seeking more information, tabled the item at its Jan. 2 meeting until a later date.

The city council has already approved the zone change, and it is unclear what action, if any, the council might take. One option presented Wednesday by the city’s attorney would be for the council to rezone the plot of land back to rural. It could then approve a contract zone to allow the development but under the condition that the company sell the homes to few or no families.

For a complete story, see the Jan. 25 issue of the American Journal

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