Planning board deems pre-application complete for Moon River subdivision at 162 Camden St., schedules sitewalk

The Camden Planning Board on March 18 voted to find complete the pre-application for the Moon River subdivision, a proposed seven-unit single-family development at 162 Camden Street, and scheduled a sitewalk for March 24 at 1 p.m.

The decision moves the project to the next step in the town’s minor subdivision process and attached a set of conditions aimed at addressing stormwater management, access and potential archaeological discoveries. The board voted 4–0 on the completeness motion and approved subsequent procedural items including town-engineer review and a requirement that the applicant arrange third-party inspections during construction where warranted.

Andrew Hedrick of Gartley Andorski, speaking for owner Jeff Chen, said the plan calls for "seven standalone single family residential units" on a roughly 2.44-acre triangular lot that the applicant has labeled the Moon River subdivision. Hedrick told the board the site has public water and sewer at the street but that a portion of the Route One main in front of the lot is a small-diameter pipe; "it's only about 2 in in diameter. So to run a new line to serve the hydrant, we'd be talking about running an 8 inch main all the way across the front here across Route One," he said, noting the cost implications of that work.

Hedrick and his team described measures they intend to use to manage stormwater on-site — a detention/underdrain system in the rear of the property designed to slow runoff and release it at or below pre-development peak rates — and said they have had a preliminary conversation with the Department of Environmental Protection. "We will need a permit from the Department of Environmental Protection for the proposed impacts within the 75‑ft setback," Hedrick said, adding that the proposed wetland impact is expected to be under permitting thresholds and "less than 4,000 square feet." He said the plan will rely on town standards for quantity control because it did not trigger higher DEP quality/quantity thresholds during the sketch review.

Neighbors who live adjacent to the site raised several concerns during the public informational portion. Michelle Manion (161 Camden Street) and Don Rainville described safety problems at the nearby five-way John Street/Route One/Camden Street intersection and urged the board to consider how additional cars would affect pedestrian and cyclist safety. Manion also said she had been told by state officials the posted 25 mph at that location may be unenforceable, noting: "when we checked with the state, they said ... you can't enforce it at 25 because it's actually 45 miles an hour per the state." Joyce Moore (146 Camden Street) expressed concerns about existing flooding and asked how additional runoff would affect culverts that already have limited capacity.

A representative of the local historical society described the discovery of an artifact on neighboring property — a sharpening stone the speaker said the state archaeologist had verified — and urged caution during excavation. Board members and staff agreed that contractors should be made aware of the potential for archaeological resources and that a stop-work/reporting requirement and coordination with the Maine Historic Preservation Commission (or state historic preservation authorities) should be added to construction notes and conditions.

In response to public concerns about sediment and erosion during construction, staff and the applicant said they will include a construction phasing plan and erosion-control measures. The board directed that the applicant work with the town to retain the town engineer for detailed stormwater review and to reimburse the town for that service; the board also signaled it may require a third‑party inspector to monitor erosion control and stormwater measures during construction and to provide certification/as-built documentation before final signoff.

Procedural outcomes from the meeting included: a unanimous (4–0) vote to find the pre-application complete under Chapter 235, subsection 4.2; scheduling a sitewalk at 162 Camden Street on March 24 at 1 p.m.; and a motion that the applicant coordinate with the town and DOT to verify access and any permit requirements. The board asked the applicant to return with detailed grading, elevations, a construction phasing note, conceptual building elevations or materials to address the site’s gateway character, and the required DEP paperwork for impacts within the 75‑ft buffer.

The board and staff tentatively discussed holding the public hearing at the final subdivision review meeting, likely in May, once the applicant submits final plans and the town and its consultants have completed stormwater and infrastructure review. "We will work with the owner and make sure we're all on the same page before we come back for the planning board," staff said.

The meeting concluded after the board adopted a final set of conditions to be addressed at or before final approval; staff committed to circulating materials the public provided to the applicant. The planning board adjourned at the end of the session.