Southern Main Marine proposes 30,000‑sq‑ft storage building; Planning Board deems application complete, sets Feb. 3 public hearing

KPT Marine LLC, doing business as Southern Main Marine, presented a site‑plan and subdivision amendment to the Arundel Planning Board on Jan. 20 proposing a 150‑by‑200‑foot (about 30,000 square feet) storage warehouse at 2461 Portland Road in the business/industrial zone. The board unanimously deemed the application complete and scheduled a public hearing for Feb. 3, 2026.

Warner Gilliam, project manager with Walsh Engineering Associates, told the board the applicant submitted initial plans and follow‑up materials — including grading, landscaping and a stormwater management report — and had provided responses to staff comments. “I believe we’ve addressed all of staff comments,” Gilliam said. He said the submission included a copy of an MDOT letter of no objection for relocating the Route 1 driveway about 15 feet to the south and a grading plan that shows erosion controls.

Gilliam said the new building will be fully sprinklered and that the applicant had agreed to install an alarm system with a distinct zone so the fire department can identify which building is sounding if an alarm is triggered. The applicant provided lighting cut sheets showing only building‑mounted fixtures, a landscaping plan with buffers along the front and adjacent property lines, and a medium‑intensity soil survey that indicated ledge conditions likely requiring blasting during site preparation. A full stormwater report was delivered to the town and a condensed summary was provided to the board.

On operational details, the applicant described a gravel turnaround at the front of the building intended to accommodate the large boats, trucks and trailers that visit the site; turning‑movement checks were run to confirm access. Board members pressed the applicant to explicitly identify any outdoor storage area on the site plan rather than leave it undefined; the applicant agreed to add or identify a defined outdoor‑storage area on an updated plan sheet to avoid returning for an amended plan.

Town Planner Natasha Kiter told the board her revised memo reflects that outstanding items had been addressed. On a motion by Tom McInn, seconded by Susan Roth, the board deemed the application complete; the board then voted unanimously to hold the public hearing on Feb. 3, 2026 at the start of the meeting. The applicant said members will have an updated plan sheet in advance of that hearing and the board indicated it could vote on the application after the public hearing.