Development News for Falmouth, Maine

Falmouth Planning Board Approves Modifications and Parking Expansion at 78 Leighton Road

The Falmouth Planning Board considered modifications and additions to a previously approved project at 78 Leighton Road, submitted by applicant Keith Gray. The request included three additional employee parking spaces, modifications to site elements like retaining walls and walkways, changes to building elevations including a raised roof line and an elongated dormer, and the addition of two decks for egress. A waiver was requested for the driveway width, which was approved by a 3-2 vote. The board also discussed phasing for the remaining construction, including a front entry addition. Concerns were raised about the safety and practicality of the narrowed driveway and parking layout, leading to a proposal to stripe the sixth parking space as a no-parking area to facilitate turning. The board ultimately approved the application, including the revised parking configuration and conditions of approval, with a motion that passed unanimously.

Falmouth Planning Board Approves Subdivision Amendment for Non-Buildable Lots at 160 Woodville Road

The Planning Board discussed a request for a subdivision amendment at 160 Woodville Road, involving the creation of non-buildable lots. The applicant aimed to preserve forest and surrounding areas by making a lot non-buildable, with portions going to a neighbor and the applicant. Board members debated whether the proposed lots, even if labeled non-buildable, must still meet dimensional standards of the Farm and Forest district. Concerns were raised about approving an 'illegal lot' and the interpretation of 'all uses' in the ordinance. The applicant clarified that a deed restriction already limits the land to passive recreation. The board ultimately voted 4-1 to approve the subdivision amendment, with one member opposed due to concerns about approving lots that do not meet dimensional standards.