On July 17, 2023, Town Engineer Stephen Harding of Sebago Technics (Sebago) presented the Town Council with a presentation on the Gull Crest Affordable Housing Feasibility Report for the town-owned Gull Crest property.  The study was conducted on an approximate 22.4-acre Study Area within the 198.5-acre property located off of Spurwink Avenue.  The area is bounded by the Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Spurwink Marsh to the north and west and the Town’s transfer station and closed landfill with a permitted future solar array to the south and east.

Harding stated that the study shows no vernal pools and identified three areas of RP-2 wetlands along with the RP-1 Spurwink Marsh and its 250-foot resource protection buffer.  Public sewer could be brought in from Spurwink Avenue.  Per the report, “Sebago also researched past Maine DEP permits and determined that new impacts to wetlands exceeding 10,300 square feet will likely require an In Lieu Fee compensation payment beginning at $84,500.”  The 100-foot setback for the solid waste boundary would likely not be waived by the Maine DEP because of the “Risk of landfill gas migration.”  Other physical site constraints such as sloping and ledge were considered.  

Working within the known conditions as described in the study, Harding presented the council with four conceptual development options using two familiar prototype buildings – the existing Colonial Village Condominium housing model and the previously proposed Dunham Court affordable housing multiplex building model.  In addition, net residential density calculations were made using the current Residential A (RA) District and the 2.5 density multiplier included in the LD 2003 Zoning Ordinance Amendments, Affordable Housing Density Bonus.  Following the RA District density limits, 78 dwelling units could be located within the Study Area; 196 units could be located in the area under LD 2003.  However, a dead-end roadway would limit the number of dwelling units to 20.

The four conceptual developments estimate that construction costs for site infrastructure improvements (excluding building construction) would be the same regardless of the site conditions and include construction cost estimates of 25-percent pre-design level contingency.

The following is taken directly from the study:

Concept 1 – Townhouse:  Consists of 20 dwelling units utilizing four Colonial Village-style buildings and 210 linear feet of retaining wall.  The buildings would be provided by an 1,890+/- linear foot road; the access road would have one connection to Spurwink Avenue.  This option provides five parking spaces per building (20 total), however under LD 2003 three parking spaces per building (15 total) would be required.  This building program is limited to 20 dwelling units due to the Town ordinance limitations for dead-end roadways.  Approximately 4,645 square feet of wetlands would be impacted with this concept.

The length of the development footprint throughout the Study Area will increase the infrastructure needs with added costs for roadway construction, utilities installation including a sanitary sewer pump station, and the implementation of a more expanded stormwater management plan.  Given the relatively large footprint required to provide for five housing units per building and the extensive infrastructure costs required to support such a development, this concept appears to be the least viable of the four options presented in this report. 

Concept 2 – Multifamily One:  This concept consists of 20 dwelling units in one Dunham Court style building, with the building height anticipated to be limited to two stories.  This site would be accessed by 320+/- linear foot paved road with one connection to Spurwink Avenue and provide 13 parking spaces.  Approximately 5,300 square feet of wetlands would be altered.  As the access road is less than 1,000 linear feet in length, overhead utilities can service the new building.

This option appears to be a viable option in that its impact to wetlands appears to be below the threshold requiring compensation and its cost to construct is the least of the four scenarios studied. Its restricted dwelling unit total of 20 units makes it a challenging and comparably expensive affordable housing approach concept. 

Concept 3 – Multifamily 2:  Similar to Concept 2, this concept consists of 46 dwelling units by removing the dead-end limitations and providing two connections off Spurwink Avenue, totaling 540+/- linear feet in looped paved road and provides 34 parking spaces.  Approximately 16,800 square feet of wetlands are impacted with this concept and could trigger the “In Lieu Fee” compensation payment.  A 210 linear-foot retaining wall would also need to be constructed.

This option appears to be a viable option although its impacts to wetlands may trigger the additional cost of an In Lieu Fee wetland compensation payment. Its restricted dwelling unit total of 46 units is over double the number of units in similar Concept 2, however, the added infrastructure costs and the potential to include an In Lieu Fee payment, also makes it a challenging and comparably expensive affordable housing approach concept. 

Concept 4 – Mixed Models:  This concept uses both the Colonial Village style buildings (five units each) and one Dunham Court style building (46 units), for a total of 61 dwelling units.  The main site roadway connecting to Spurwink would total 2,430+/- linear paved roadway.  A secondary emergency entrance at 600+/- linear feet of gravel roadway (and 18-foot width) connecting Dennison Drive (compost area of Town’s transfer station facilities) to Spurkwink Avenue would enable increasing units beyond the 20-unit maximum with dead-end roads.  Approximately 4,700 square feet of wetlands would be impacted by this concept and would require that all utility services be underground. 

This option provides for the greater number of dwelling units over comparable Concept 1, but is also the costliest concept to construct with the added emergency road component. For the added costs associated with additional parking and infrastructure associated with the Dunham Court style multi-story building, it is conceivable that a greater number of units could be achieved by converting one or more of the Colonial Village style buildings to a Dunham Court style building. 

Harding said, “It is difficult to price these things at this stage,” but provided estimated costs of development based on past subdivision construction costs over the past few years and by applying assumptions related to the envisioned construction activity.  A 25-percent contingency has been applied to each concept estimates to arrive at pre-design budgetary cost.

Harding summarized and said that while the study does show there are areas to develop despite constraints around slopes, buffers, landfill, etc., “The takeaway is you should recognize that if you had a similar site with less constraints, it would be much more economical than this area allows.”

• Hire an expert to look at gas migration issues and come up with migration steps.
• Hire a geotechnical firm to look at soil and ledge that might impact possible gas-migration.
• Confirm the configuration of the Portland Water District’s property limits around the Wastewater Treatment Plant with a surveyor.
• Have an informational meeting the Maine DEP and potentially the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to see if there are any other regulatory issues related to wetland impacts and the nearby closed landfill.

In conclusion, while no action was taken by the Town Council, Chair Jeremy Gabrielson said that he would like to receive input from the Conservation Committee and the Housing Diversity Study Committee, and to move this item to the August 14 Town Council meeting.