PHIPPSBURG — Residents will have to wait to see whether a recreational park near Popham Beach is approved.
The Phippsburg Planning Board on Tuesday tabled the decision on whether to approve a recreational vehicle park proposed in Phippsburg.
David and Tracy Percy, prior owners of Percy’s General Store in Phippsburg, want to create an 11-unit RV park on the former site of the store, which was demolished last year. If approved, the RV park would be set up at 6 Sea St., near the intersection of Sea Street and Popham Road.
During a public hearing last month, David Percy said each campsite will have a connection for water, electricity and septic, as well as a fire pit. The facility will also have a two-story, 20-by-30-foot utility building with storage, an office and a bathhouse for guests.
A 6-foot-tall wooden fence initially was proposed around the perimeter for privacy and to reduce noise.
Planning board members said they want the applicants to get an engineered audio plan to see what kind of setback or barrier, such as a fence or vegetation, would block the most noise from the site’s neighbors.
The applicants also need to contact the Phippsburg fire chief to ensure all emergency vehicles can easily enter and exit the site.
The board unanimously approved the 50-foot setback from the center of Sea Street and the two-story bathhouse, but delayed other decisions until the applicants receive further consultation.
Last month’s public hearing drew a crowd of roughly 35 people, some of whom spoke out against the project, expressing concerns about how the RV park and its fence might ruin their views.
Kerri Hanscom, who grew up in Popham Beach and started the Facebook page “I love Popham Beach,” is concerned about how the proposed RV park could affect the area and its neighbors because “it’s a small area to try to fit 12 campers there.”
“[The fence and two-story bathhouse] will affect the value of peoples’ houses and if they rent their homes, there’s a good chance people will lose their renters,” she said.
When the planning board will decide whether to approve the proposed RV park is dependent on when the Percys can consult with an audio engineer. The planning board said they will set the date of its next meeting during its next regular meeting on Tuesday, July 14.
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