Wells developer revises plan: Seeks approval for 165 townhouses on Post Road
WELLS, Maine — A developer has revised his plans to build new homes on wooded land at 502 Post Road.
Arnie J. Martel, of AJM Construction, said he is now hoping to build 165 single-family townhouses on 121 acres.
In his original application, Martel said he sought to build more than 100 new homes and as many as 40 new townhouses on 44 acres at the site. Martel withdrew that application, which the Wells Planning Board was set to receive on March 4.
Martel confirmed he submitted a new application, which corrects or clarifies some of the details in the original and slightly reconfigures the layout.
“We just made non-substantial changes,” Martel said.
In an email, town engineer Michael Livingston confirmed that the Planning Board is scheduled to receive the new subdivision pre-application at its next meeting on March 18. Livingston also said the board will likely schedule a site visit at the property.
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Erik Poulin of Jones & Beach Engineers of New Hampshire is the project manager for the site and is representing Martel.
Martel said he is buying 114 of the 120 acres from Richard Jorgensen, who owns an antique shop at the location. He said he is purchasing the final six acres from The Morrison Center. The properties fall within the town’s general business, 75-foot shoreland overlay, and rural districts.
Martel said he is proposing the construction of three buildings with six townhouses each, with the remaining 147 townhouses as standalone structures. The lone townhouses will be approximately 1,600 square feet, he added.Martel said the new community would be “private and self-contained.”
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Residents have discussed Martel’s development plans on social media. On the “Wells, Maine” Facebook page, one post generated a lengthy discussion in which people expressed concerns regarding zoning, taxes, traffic, housing, quality of life, the potential impact on schools, the rate of development in the community, and other topics.
Martel said his project is not likely to impact or overwhelm local schools, as, in his experience, the people who buy townhouses don't typically have young children. Families with children tend to seek out larger living spaces, he said.
“Usually, there aren’t a lot of kids in townhouse subdivisions,” Martel said. “People are looking for simpler living.”
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Wells developer revises plan: 165 townhouses planned on Post Road
