STOCKTON SPRINGS, Maine — The town planning board unanimously voted Wednesday night to delay making a decision regarding a controversial proposed expansion for a local lobster and seafood wholesale business.
The hearing on Holly Wyman’s application to build a 40-by-60-square-foot outbuilding on her School Street property, which would be used for the HD & Sons Seafood business she owns with fiance David Rice, was continued to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1.
Board members said during the hearing that they wanted more time to examine a large packet of materials that had been given to them that night by neighbors who had questions about the project. A public hearing drew more than 60 people to the town municipal building and lasted about an hour and a half.
Ed Bearor, attorney for Wyman and Rice, told the crowd that the development was small compared with many other proposed properties in town. He said that the traffic generated by the business would be no more than “a small subdivision” but would include a daily visit from a tractor-trailer during the busiest three months of the lobster season.
Some project opponents told the board that they were worried about increased traffic in their quiet neighborhood, the possibility of reduced property values, road damage and increased odors, as well as whether the business would fit harmoniously into the surrounding community.
“I love my neighborhood,” Kathy Goldner said. “This is all very distressing. We would like to grow old in this neighborhood. It’s a quiet, wonderful neighborhood.”
Stockton Springs resident Cynthia Wells offered an alternative viewpoint.
“I want to make sure the community and the planning board consider that there will be jobs for our local residents,” she said. “Secondly, there will be a tax benefit for the town.”
Bearor, who primarily spoke for Wyman and Rice, said that while he didn’t want to minimize the concerns residents expressed about the project, “I think it’s an exaggeration of the problem.”
Neighbors worried about the expansion of a successful business that provides jobs and pays taxes. They would rather have no business growth because they “want to grow old in their quiet, wonderful neighborhood.” And who do they think will be around to pay the taxes that will support them with Maine Care, etc, etc, in their old age? Is it any wonder Forbes magazine ranks us last as a place to do business?
Anyone still wondering why we cant create jobs in maine?? if a 40×60 building creates this much of a headache, why would anyone who wants to create alot of jobs want to come here….. questions like would “the business would fit harmoniously into the surrounding community.”
I hafta ask a few simple questions because I don’t now the area, but is the town so built-up that there’s no other place for this? Or is it because they already own the property that they want to impose this on a residential neighbor hood? Is there an industrial park available?
In answer to your questions:
No it is not too built up.
Yes they want to repurpose their residential property.
Don’t know if there is a formal industrial park available, but many industrial areas.
Thanx, Bill. I suspected as much.
We want Jobs and Businesses, just make sure it is in somebody elses neighborhood.
Earth to Maine…You can’t have economic development if EVERYONE is ALWAYS shouting NOT IN MY BACKYARD. Duh.
I am all for economic growth, but the people on this street did not buy there to be on a truck route. This is why towns have comprehensive plans and need to keep to them.
The business was in commercial area (next to store on Main Street) – complaint made (wrongfully) – moved Seafood Wholesale to property on the water. Residential neighbors are annoyed (rightfully). Stockton’s almost a ghost town – the seafood store was in a great commercial place – and needed to stay there.
Does the Penobscot marine museum pay real estate taxes?
The working waterfront where the fishing industry used to thrive has been turned into mainly summer homes and fisheries workers can’t afford to live on the water front homes where generations of thier families worked and lived are now pushed further “inland”
Well I could be wrong, and I prob am, but if it used to be a working waterfront for the fish/boat businesses, why did they sell their property for summer homes to be built? Because the taxes got too high? No…because they wanted to make a buck off their land.