The Planning Board will be holding a site visit at 120 Old Ocean House Road on Saturday, December 4, 2021 at 9:00 a.m.  Cape Elizabeth Land Trust (CELT) is requesting a Conditional Use Permit and Site Plan Review to add institutional uses of a philanthropic nature to Turkey Hill Farm, a 26-acre conservation property.  These activities are allowed in the Residence A district as long as a Conditional Use Permit is obtained.  The process of requesting a permit also requires a Site Plan Review.

The property has long been used as a public space, day camp site, and informal community garden.  Peter Eastman, the original owner of the property donated a conservation easement to CELT in 2009.  Eastman bequeathed the property to CELT upon his passing in 2019.

During the November 16 Planning Board meeting Philip Mathieu, Program Director for CELT, provided an overview of the three proposed categories of usage for Turkey Hill Farm:  

1. Organization Meetings consisting of a maximum of 20 participants.
2. Regular Educational Programming up to five days per week with a maximum of 50 participants if arriving by bus or a maximum of 25 participants if arriving by car.
3. Events of varying sizes:

    A.  Large Events with a maximum of 100 participants up to four times per year.

    B.  Medium Events with a maximum of 50 participants per year up to four times per year.

    C.  Educational Events with a maximum of 100 participants per year up to four times per year.

In order to accommodate these events, CELT is proposing several physical alterations including the construction of a second, ADA-accessible alternative toilet and the addition of 58 field-parking spots near Old Ocean House Road during the dry season.  Currently, no surface alterations are proposed for the existing parking areas and no additional impervious surfaces will be introduced.

The Planning Board deemed the application complete with a vote of 6-0 and approved the scheduling of the December 4 site visit with a vote of 6-0.  The public is welcome to attend.  The purpose of of the site visit is to see the physical characteristics of the site; public comment will be limited to questions about the site, with the permission of the Planning Board Chair.