SACO, Maine — A mixed‑use sketch plan for 991 Portland Road called “Cascade Village” drew strong interest from the Saco Planning Board on Tuesday as the project team described a compact, pedestrian‑focused plaza with an event lawn, seasonal rink and small retail units.

Developer Elliot Chamberlain of Park North Development told the board the team had conducted a neighborhood focus group, met with city staff and met with the fire department “to really get into the details.” Architect Matthew Cummings said the design concept intentionally pulls cars to the periphery and “creates a plaza and a place where people would have a sense of community.”

The model presented to the board shows a central courtyard and a raised winter rink that would double as an events area in warm months, a variety of two‑story and one‑story facades meant to recall local architectural textures, and space for food trucks and a temporary stage. Chamberlain said the project is being designed as a contract‑zone application in Park North and that the existing contract zone currently prohibits residential uses within the first 600 feet of the site; the project team said the underlying zone would allow some second‑floor units if the contract‑zone restriction were changed.

The applicant said parking will be mostly consolidated in a lot behind the retail buildings; the team acknowledged that the proposed development is slightly short of the ordinance’s strict parking counts and said they intend to pursue shared‑parking strategies among tenants. Chamberlain said the developer expects only a modest residential component, if any — "we're probably talking in the neighborhood of 12 to 24 units," he said — and that the courtyard and events program are central to attracting foot traffic.

Board members offered a mix of praise and detailed questions. Several members praised the “human scale” facades and the attempt to keep cars out of the plaza; they said the plan has potential to create the kind of village‑style public space Saco lacks. Fire access was a recurring topic — the developer reported a recent meeting with the fire department and said they were revising road widths and service drives to meet the department’s needs. The applicant said the team discussed removable bollards and a gate system that would allow emergency vehicle access while protecting the plaza during events.

Other concerns included snow storage and seasonal parking demand; one board member suggested designating an off‑season section of the outer parking area for temporary snow storage. Board members also asked about nighttime illumination, the operation of food trucks, public restrooms and how tenants’ lease structures will handle common‑area operating expenses. Chamberlain said smaller tenants often prefer modified‑gross leases that bundle common costs rather than triple‑net leases.

The project team presented a phasing approach: construct the loop road and the parking area behind the retail first, then build the primary retail building(s) and the courtyard during subsequent phases so the central gathering space can open early in the build‑out. The team said the center courtyard is as important as the shops themselves because it is intended to produce activity that later generates retail demand.

Board members asked the team to return with marked‑up plan sheets and with responses to technical design questions about snow removal, trash and delivery corridors, mechanical screening, and sign criteria. Several members recommended fine details be resolved — including bollard design and emergency access locations — before a formal application is submitted.

No vote was required; the presentation was a workshop/sketch‑plan review and the board’s comments were advisory. Applicants said they would incorporate the board’s feedback and come back with a full application.