Kittery considers affordable housing requirements in more areas of town

Ian Lenahan, Portsmouth Herald
·3 min read

KITTERY, Maine — Town code may soon require residential developers to incorporate affordable housing units into their project proposals if they fall within three particular zoning districts.

Three town zoning regions — the business-local (B-L), business-local 1 (BL-1) and mixed-use neighborhood zones — are being mulled as possible solutions in adding to Maine’s oldest town’s affordable housing supply.

According to Adam Causey, the town’s director of planning and development, projects proposed in the three town zones could be mandated to offer a base number of affordable housing units in accordance with Kittery's existing code.

Kittery is moving to use two tax-acquired town properties, including one on Phelps Street, to help increase affordable housing in town.
Kittery is moving to use two tax-acquired town properties, including one on Phelps Street, to help increase affordable housing in town.

Amended in late 2020, town code mandates that developers proposing five or more dwelling units in some town zones are required to have at least 10% of the units be designated as affordable housing. This means rent rates would be reduced in those units and people with certain income levels would qualify to live in them.

Project leaders may opt out of that rule, but are then required to provide a payment-in-lieu to the town’s Housing Reserve Fund. Town code states that payment to the fund is "calculated based on the number of affordable housing units that are required plus any fractional unit obligation."

Causey said there are 18 zoning districts in Kittery but only two commercial zones — the C-1 and C-3 zones — are currently part of the town’s affordable housing requirement in the existing code.

“(The) Town Council is currently considering zoning amendments for the Business Local (B-L) and Business Local 1 (BL-1) zoning districts that would incorporate the affordable housing requirements,” he wrote in an email.

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Workshop on business-local zoning

A Town Council workshop regarding the proposed affordable housing amendments within the B-L and BL-1 zones will be held on Monday, May 2, followed by a public hearing on Monday, May 9.

Causey wrote that the BL-1 zone is located along State Road near its intersection with Walker Street, in addition to on Shapleigh Road at Post Office Square.

More news: Massive Dennett Landing development would increase Kittery population by roughly 20%

“BL zones are located in a few places: State Road north of Village Green Drive to the traffic circle; Pepperell Cove; Haley Square (where Haley Road meets Pepperrell Road); the area at Wentworth/Whipple/Rogers near St. Raphael’s; the intersection of Old Post Road and Dennett Road, along with properties along the Route 1 Bypass that are north of Bridge Street,” he said.

Public hearing on mixed-use neighborhood zones

The Kittery Planning Board, Causey added, will hold a public hearing at its meeting on Thursday evening on whether the mixed-use neighborhood zone should follow the same affordable housing requirements.

A public memo written to the Planning Board by town project planner Kathy Connor outlined the goal of possibly incorporating the mixed-use neighborhood zone into Kittery’s affordable housing requirement.

“The ordinance changes to the Neighborhood Mixed-Use Zone are proposed to increase the number of affordable housing units in the Town by requiring residential development in this zone to comply with the Town’s affordable housing policy,” she said.

If eventually approved by town officials, projects such as “Dennett Landing,” which is proposed to be built in the mixed-use neighborhood zone, need to include a certain number of affordable housing units.

The massive Dennett Landing residential and commercial proposal along Route 236 and Dennett Road calls for around 900 housing units, a brewery, a daycare, an assisted living facility and more.

More: Kittery project calls for 900 housing units, brewery, restaurant. Here's what we know

A rendering for Dennett Landing, a residential and commercial development project proposal along Route 236 and Dennett Road in Kittery. The project proposal calls for approximately 900 dwelling units, a brewery, a daycare center, an assisted living facility, a restaurant and more across 82 acres.
A rendering for Dennett Landing, a residential and commercial development project proposal along Route 236 and Dennett Road in Kittery. The project proposal calls for approximately 900 dwelling units, a brewery, a daycare center, an assisted living facility, a restaurant and more across 82 acres.

Per Causey, the majority of the mixed-use neighborhood zone is between Dennett Road and Route 236 south of Martin Road.

All three town zoning districts being considered by Kittery officials would ultimately require Town Council approval of require affordable housing in project proposals.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Kittery Maine weighs affordable housing requirements in more of town