Despite opposition from Church Street neighbors, Belfast city councilors voted unanimously at Tuesday night’s meeting to make a zoning change that would allow the Peirce School to become an eight-unit rental property.
A trio of young Waldo County property developers would like to convert the century-old brick elementary school, which most recently served as a medical marijuana growhouse, into rental housing.
However, the city’s zoning ordinance, in place since 2014, limited any multi-family housing in the 7,500 square foot school to a condominium form of ownership. Councilors needed to decide if they would amend the ordinance to allow rental housing both there and at the James B. White property across the street.
But several residents of the historic district, including Yasmeen and Benjamin Walker, the current owners of the White House, have adamantly opposed the change. They have cited concerns about increased traffic, noise, lights and a general fear that having the former school become a rental property would bring down property values and the neighborhood. Some mentioned worries that the rental units could be used for short-term rentals such as Airbnb.
“The proposal threatens the peace and sanctity of our way of life,” Pat Hagerty, who lives on Church Street, told the council. “Eight rental apartments will not be a welcome addition to the neighborhood.”
Reservoir Ventures LLC, which is based in Stockton Springs, specified in its 60-page project proposal that the plan for the school would leave the exterior and grounds intact. The interior would be converted to one- and two-bedroom apartments, and a sample one-year lease shows rent of $1,500 per month, a sum that would include all utilities.
But some in the crowd encouraged councilors to pause before deciding, including attorney Ed Bearor of Bangor, who was representing the Walkers. He suggested the council table the zoning change request and give it more consideration.
“You could open Pandora’s box, by allowing any developer to come in,” he said. “You’re going to have something that you didn’t want.”
But not every neighbor who spoke thought changing the ordinance to allow the multi-unit rental property would be a bad idea.
“I’m going out on a limb here to say that the idea of putting eight apartments in the Peirce School sounds really good to me,” Liz Chase said. “I’d love to see the building loved, and people in it. I’d like to see life brought back to it.”
She said that she spent 18 years renting on Church Street in Belfast.
“I’m an example of what a renter can look like,” she said. “I don’t feel like I brought down the neighborhood. The people in that house, we were like family, and we all really looked after the house.”
Councilors strived to be diplomatic before they voted to allow the zoning change. Councilor Eric Sanders said that he heard clearly that the neighbors cherish the neighborhood.
“We hope it stays cherishable to all, including the new folks,” he said.
Councilor Mike Hurley said before voting in favor of the zoning amendment that officials have been spending a lot of time talking about the housing problem in the city.
“We’re trying to encourage individuals to do small projects,” he said. “Small projects have a really big effect in a small town.”