Planning Board OKs housing proposals
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Housing options are improving in Presque Isle, following the Planning Board’s recent approval plans for two city buildings to be converted, in part, to apartments.
The board reviewed residential subdivisions for properties located at 209 State St. and 16 Dyer St.
Developer C&C Rental Properties acquired the former Maine Public Services headquarters on State Street and plans to subdivide the building into a commercial unit on the ground floor, and to develop five residential apartments on the second and third floors.
Another developer, Cash Stream Inc., has acquired the former Gould & Smith/Discount Windows and Doors building located on Dyer Street and wishes to subdivide the building into a 10-unit residential subdivision. Two residential units already exist in the structure, with the new owner looking to add eight more units.
The primary concern for the former MPS building was one of parking.
“Between the people who offered to provide parking (neighboring property owners), there’s more than adequate parking to resolve the issue. The city has no other major concerns” with regard to the State Street structure, said Ken Arndt, the city’s director of planning and development.
Dan Bridgham, of Bridgham Engineering, representative for C&C Rental Properties, spoke on the planned subdivision, providing interior details and explaining how parking would be handled. In addition to the designated slots that go with the building, Bridgham said officials with FairPoint — owner of the adjacent building — had been contacted, as had officials with the State Street Baptist Church, with regard to parking.
“Telephone company officials said in case of snowstorms we can use some of their property. They have like 15 spaces. The church lot easily has 14 spaces. We’ve obtained an e-mail from church officials stating we can use some of this parking lot as we need but their use comes first, which it should,” said Bridgham. “I don’t believe we have a parking problem. I think it’s satisfied.”
Following discussion on the former MPS building, the board unanimously approved the subdivision of the structure as proposed.
Bridgham spoke next of plans for the Dyer Street building, including a sprinkler system for safety and at least one unit being handicapped accessible.
“The building will also have a ramp so all apartments can be accessed by handicapped individuals,” said Bridgham.
The board discussed the building’s proximity to the Presque Isle Stream and the need to add gravel to a section of the property to help prevent flooding of a proposed parking area.
“These parking spaces won’t be required until all apartments are developed. The owner probably won’t go to that expense (adding gravel) until he’s used up all other parking spaces — that’s my speculation,” Bridgham said.
On concluding discussion on the matter, board members unanimously approve the Dyer Street proposal as presented.
In other business, board members:
• Accepted Brent Anderson’s resignation and agreed to present him with a certificate of appreciation for his service to the city;
• Considered holding a workshop with the Department of Environmental Protection regarding shoreland zoning; and
• Discussed updating of the comprehensive plan, with talk on the matter to continue at future Planning Board meetings.
For more information on the Planning Board, visit www.presqueisle.govoffice2.com or e-mail karndt@presqueisleme.us.
