GORHAM – Clearing a Gorham Town Council hurdle on Tuesday, Cumberland Farms now seeks final approval from the Planning Board for a convenience store and gas station it is proposing in South Gorham.
The Town Council in a 5-2 vote (Chairman Philip Gagnon and Councilor Suzanne Phillips opposed) on Tuesday approved an amendment measure that allows fuel pumps and parking in the front and sides of the proposed store on County Road.
“We’re going to submit to the Planning Board tomorrow,” Tom Greer of Pinkham and Greer Consulting Engineers, representing Cumberland Farms, said after Tuesday’s meeting.
A.J. Barbato of T.M. Crowley and Associates, manager of the development process for Cumberland Farms, said on Wednesday that the estimated cost of the Cumberland Farms project is approximately $3 million.
Greer said he hopes the proposal will be on the Planning Board’s November agenda.
Meanwhile, some South Gorham residents worry about what the area, which is now already a mix of homes and scattered businesses, would become in the future.
Gorham officials had envisioned a New England village setting for South Gorham development, with parking in the rear of buildings. But, this week’s Town Council action changed the parking provision, likely jeopardizing the earlier scenario.
The Town Council altered the contract zone agreement language that the town approved in 2011 for property owner Hans Hansen at 74 County Road, where Cumberland Farms wants to build a 4,513-square-foot convenience store and gas station. The zoning agreement approved two years ago paved the way to allow a variety of businesses, including restaurants and convenience stores with or without gas stations.
Hansen’s agreement preceded a string of several other South Gorham property owners who were also awarded contract zone agreements by the town. Some other area property owners holding contract zone agreements are clamoring for similar, future amendments like the one the Town Council approved on Tuesday for Hansen.
“This is setting the stage for all other contract zones,” said Albert Frick of 95 County Road, who generally supports the Cumberland Farms project.
Dennis Chadbourne, who also has a contract zone agreement, lives at 83 County Road (across County Road from Hansen’s property) and spoke in favor of the Cumberland Farms plan. However, he said, he wants the Town Council to treat his property the same way.
“It should be considered as a precedent,” Chadbourne said about Tuesday’s action.
But Town Councilor John Pressey, who said he’s not happy with contract zones, contended that in amending the agreement with Hansen, the council would not be establishing a precedent. Pressey said the council could do what it feels is in the best interest of the town at Hansen’s site.
South Gorham residential abutters of Hansen’s site and some other residents who opposed the measure fear what the neighborhood will look like down the road.
“It’s going to be a mishmash, a Windham-type strip,” Gagnon said.
The site for the store and gas station is at the intersection of County Road (Route 22) and South Street (Route 114), both heavily traveled by thousands of commuters. The two routes converge and overlap for about a mile through South Gorham.
Bill Hebert of Brackett Road said Route 114 is the gateway to Gorham.
“I oppose this development,” Hebert said.
Martha Buisman of Burnham Road suggested that Gorham should have had a “well-crafted” zoning plan approved by voters and urged councilors to not approve the Cumberland Farms proposal.
“It’s lousy town planning,” Buisman said in a reference to contract zones.
Town Councilor Matthew Robinson said that the matter the Town Council considered Tuesday was not about a vote on a filling station that is already allowed under the previously approved contract zone.
“The genie is out of the bottle,” Town Councilor Sherrie Benner said.
But, Benner had concerns about landscaping and buffering for neighbors. Greer said after the meeting that they would “reach out” to abutters about landscaping.
Tom Ellsworth, director of the Gorham Economic Development Corp., said supporting the project would be “supporting one of our own” in a reference to Hansen, a Gorham resident. “I think it’s a good project for the town,” Ellsworth said.
Barbato said during a council recess in Tuesday’s meeting the project would be the “most state-of-the-art gas station in Maine.” Barbato said the project included safety precautions, landscaping and architectural upgrade.
“We’re looking to build a flagship station in Gorham,” Barbato said.
Besides Cumberland Farms, Hansen has several other lots available for development at his 24-acre County Road business park that attracted a Mercy Hospital medical facility a few years ago. Mercy located in a renovated building that previously housed Hansen’s agricultural store.
Nathan Bateman, a developer who was instrumental in locating the Mercy facility in Gorham, in Tuesday’s meeting supported Cumberland Farms. Bateman anticipated more development at Hansen’s site.
Gorham taxpayers face funding big-ticket items in the future, like a Public Safety Building upgrade and a high school expansion that likely will be a local referendum question next year. Before Tuesday’s Town Council vote, Greer told councilors the Cumberland Farms project would bolster the Gorham tax base.
“I see this as a win for the town of Gorham,” Greer said.
Robinson explained his support for parking in front and sides of the Cumberland Farms store.
“I’m not willing to take a chance they (Cumberland Farms) are not coming back with pumps in the rear,” Robinson said.
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