Developer pitches expanded Skyview Drive contract zone for mixed workforce housing

Tim Hebert, owner of Hebert Construction, told the Cumberland Town Council at a Feb. 24 workshop that his development team is asking the town to expand an existing contract zone along U.S. Route 1 (Skyview Drive) to allow more residential density and a coordinated mixed‑use neighborhood across Lot 7 and Lot 8.

Hebert said the current contract zone (adopted in 2019) covers Lot 7 and allows up to about 120 residential units; his team’s concept would increase Lot 7’s potential to up to 165 units and add residential allowances on Lot 8. "What we're showing here is kind of an iteration of a master plan that would consider the current zoning in and of it today," Hebert said, describing a mix of smaller single‑family lots and multi‑unit Domus condominium buildings that target workforce homeownership.

The proposal would rely on Domus, a development entity Hebert described as a partnership with Jack Soli and Avesta Housing, to deliver a 45‑unit prototype building and additional for‑sale units sized to be affordable to households in the stated income band. Hebert said Domus aims to produce one‑ and two‑bedroom condominium units around 415–500 square feet with finishes intended to keep overall purchase prices lower than typical market units.

Hebert told the council that the contract zone's existing affordability definition for Lot 7 is tied to 40% of area median income (AMI) and that the current contract‑zone language requires a portion of units to meet that threshold. Hebert also said his preferred approach is to avoid deed restrictions; "deed restrictions for us are a negative because it passes down from buyer to buyer," he told the council, adding that Domus expects right‑sized unit scale to preserve long‑term affordability without deed‑restricted resale limits.

Council members asked for more data. One councilor asked whether the project would increase enrollment pressure on MSAD 51 schools; Hebert replied that the product being proposed is primarily one‑bedroom units for first‑time homebuyers, young professionals and downsizing retirees, so he did not expect a large increase in school children but could not promise zero impact. Other council members pressed Hebert on the loss of commercial zoning on Lot 8, noting the town’s need for commercial tax base; Hebert said the overlay contract zone would not eliminate the underlying commercial zoning and that the master‑plan sketches anticipate commercial uses concentrated near a proposed village center.

No formal vote or zoning amendment took place; the presentation was handled as a workshop item. Councilors asked for more concrete data on school impacts, affordability metrics tied to specific AMI values, and a clearer commercial‑vs‑residential land‑use plan before directing staff or the council to a formal rezoning or contract‑zone amendment process. Hebert said Domus and Bridal Realty (the property owners) are prepared to continue working with town staff and return with additional materials.

The council indicated interest in additional discussion; a councilor said a follow‑up workshop may be scheduled to review refined plans, fiscal and service impacts and potential conditions that could preserve commercial opportunity while allowing workforce housing.

Ending: The town took no formal action on the proposal at the Feb. 24 workshop. Staff and the developer agreed to supply additional analyses for council review, including estimates of potential student impacts, clarified unit counts by type, and options for preserving commercial frontage.