Woodstone developers in York seek to scrap age 55-plus homes: Is it 'bait and switch?'

YORK, Maine — The developers of Woodstone at York Village are looking to alter their approved site plan and remove its requirement that a number of units go to buyers age 55 and older.

JHR Development LLC was scheduled to meet with the Planning Board Thursday, asking to amend the site plan for the second phase of the project previously approved in 2019. The developers originally were permitted to build 110 units — 53 individual homes, 52 four-plex units, a triplex, and a duplex, with some designated for ages 55 and older.

JHR is now asking the board to allow it to remove the requirement that a portion of the units go to that upper age group, among other requests. It also seeks to build more single-family homes than initially approved instead of multi-unit structures like quadruplexes.

Town Planner Dylan Smith said the quadruplexes were intended for ages 55 and up. He said the total number of units reserved for that age group is about 52.

Lawrence Beals and Benjamin Enos of the engineering firm Beals and Associates, working with JHR, wrote in the application for the amendment that single-family homes are needed in York to help bring more children to its schools that have seen declining enrollment.

“By removing ‘age-restricted’ units, the Woodstone at York Village development can pose as an attractive location for those who are starting families and careers,” the application states.

The proposal has irked some neighbors who believe the developer is pulling a “bait and switch” after having agreed in 2019 to include units for people 55 and older. Some say more families will be good for York, but others are concerned switching to more single-family homes will lead to more families than the town’s infrastructure is ready to handle.

“The biggest problem is the density,” said Brian Day, who lives on Donica Road. “They put the cart before the horse.”

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More than 100 housing units approved for Mary McIntire Davis property

The Woodstone development is being built in phases on the former property of Mary McIntire Davis, whose family owned it since 1911. Her family worked with the town to approve the development of more than 100 homes, then sold her 111-acre estate in 2022 for $6 million to JHR. Construction on the development began that year.

The age-restricted homes were meant for empty nesters looking to downsize in a neighborhood with services like snow plowing provided.

Beals and Enos wrote in their Aug. 9 letter to the York Planning Department that the town's Comprehensive Plan, updated in 2022, looks to address declining school enrollment.

Enos wrote that removing “age-restricted” units increases the marketability of homes to families “to boost a younger demographic.” He wrote that while school enrollment declines, the median age rises in York.

Coupled with that is a request to change the variety of structures to include more single-family homes and duplexes rather than larger multi-unit structures. The proposal indicates the second phase of the project currently has 15 single-family units slated to be built with 13 quadruplexes. They look to switch to 41 single-family homes, six duplexes, and no quadruplexes.

The new proposal indicates there would be a net total of 53 units rather than 67 originally proposed. Enos wrote that the change would “create more privacy and space for each family while promoting a type of architecture familiar to the town of York.”

Other proposed amendments include a proposal to reduce the overall impervious area by 67,326 square feet and replace it with grass. Residents abutting the development have complained of water runoff from Woodstone causing flooding since construction began.

“This results in a reduction of runoff created from the development,” Enos wrote, “Effectively further reducing peak runoff rates for all storm events.”

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Residents offer differing views about new plans

Abutters opposed to the amendment say it is not the presence of families themselves that concerns them but the fact the plan could change so long after its approval.

Day on Donica Road said more families would not impact his quality of life, but he worries the town’s infrastructure is not prepared. He noted that a major sewer project may be approved by voters in May on Route 1. He believes it might be better for the town to finish that project before approving an amendment as proposed.

Diane Bright, who also lives in Donica Road, said she supports the amendment removing the age restriction because she wants the town to encourage families to come to York.

She said her neighborhood has always been full of kids playing together, and she hoped that would carry over to Woodstone. She pointed out the proximity of the neighborhood to paths that lead to two local schools.

“This was an ideal spot for families and kids,” Bright said. “It’s a win for the town.”

Day also said he believes the introduction of more single-family homes will add to the number of high-priced houses in a town where many in the workforce cannot afford to live. The price tags on the homes in the Woodstone development have been listed between $889,900 and $949,000.

“They say they want to bring single-family homes for the people that are working here,” Day said. “Nobody who is working here is going to afford a million dollars.”

The proposal does not mention removing the requirement in the approved plan for some affordable housing, of which six units are expected to be built according to the town planner. Still, Selectboard member Todd Frederick agreed the prices in the development have so far been high.

“We need affordable,” Frederick said. “Those are not affordable.”

Planning Board Chair Wayne Boardman said Monday it was too early to comment on how the board would view the proposal Thursday.

“We’re just going to take a look at what the details are,” Boardman said.

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This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Developers seek to scrap 55-plus units for Davis property in York