Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Road Acceptance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge Sabattus not to fast-track Wildwood Landing acceptance over core‑drilling concerns
Summary
Residents of Wildwood Landing pressed the Sabattus selectboard to delay accepting a road extension, arguing required core sampling planned by engineers would damage the pavement; engineers and the new road foreman said testing and ordinance compliance must be resolved before the town takes the road.
Residents of Wildwood Landing told the Sabattus selectboard they oppose immediate town acceptance of their road extension while engineers propose intrusive core testing that, residents say, will damage the pavement.
Mark O'Connell, speaking for Wildwood Landing homeowners, said the neighborhood was previously inspected and approved and warned that drilling holes “every 25 feet” would “ruin the road.” He urged the board to contact the original builder and past code‑enforcement officers before requiring new testing and said residents were willing to work with the town to address remaining surface issues.
Town staff and consulting engineers described competing testing plans. One firm had recommended cores every 25 feet; another (SW Cole) outlined a plan for 6‑inch holes on alternating sides at roughly 20‑foot intervals, 3–5 feet deep, with composite laboratory gradation tests. Staff cautioned that improper coring could compromise compaction and create long‑term settlement or water infiltration problems.
Robert Bradley, newly confirmed as the town’s road foreman, introduced himself and described his public‑works experience; the board said it would coordinate staff, the town engineer and the foreman to assess testing methods and next steps.
Residents reported they have scheduled a Central Maine Power site visit to review transformer placement on May 9. Board members pressed for consistent enforcement of the town’s ordinances and recommended contacting the contractor who built the road and previous code‑enforcement staff to assemble documentation.
No formal vote to accept the Wildwood Landing extension took place. The selectboard agreed to pause any fast‑track acceptance, follow up with engineers, the road foreman and utility staff, and return the item to a future meeting after those steps.
What’s next: town staff will coordinate a follow‑up inspection and documentation review; residents and CMP will meet on the scheduled site visit to explore options for transformer placement and other right‑of‑way issues.
