Planning board approves 24-unit workforce housing on Cross Street amid traffic and pathway concerns

The Rockport Planning Board unanimously found that a proposed 24-unit workforce housing development at 3 Cross Street meets the town’s land-use and site-plan requirements and accepted the planning office’s completeness determination, clearing the application to proceed.

Developers Caleb Lincoln and Ed Libby of Lake City Holdings and their engineer, Will Gartley of Gartley & Dorski, presented the project as two multi-family buildings with 12 units each, served by public water and sewer and supplied by underground power. They said both buildings will be sprinklered and that the plan provides 36 parking spaces — about 1.5 spaces per unit. "We recently finished a workforce housing project at Maline Lane which was oversubscribed," developer Caleb Lincoln said, framing the project as responding to a documented local need.

The project team described drainage and erosion-control work, foundation drains, and a vegetated stone apron outlet to an existing wetland. The applicant cited the Institute of Transportation Engineers manual and estimated roughly 5–7 daily vehicle trips per unit (120–168 daily trips) with a residential PM peak of about 12–17 trips. Planning staff noted Maine DOT’s practice that a traffic study is typically required only when a project generates about 100 peak-hour trips.

Public commenters urged more attention to safety and cumulative impacts. "These projects are going to more than double the number of housing units on Cross Street," said resident Steve Bow, urging the board to consider combined impacts of nearby proposals. Linda Clancy, co-chair of the Rockport Pathways Committee, read the committee’s letter asking the town to require cohesive, collaborative design at the Route 90/Cross Street intersection and to include pathways planners in follow-up discussions. Neighbor Devon Salisbury described multiple past incidents at her mailbox and urged the board to ensure the street remains safe while new housing is added.

Board members pressed applicants and staff on the ordinance’s limits: because access is on a side street, the board does not currently have authority under local code to require a traffic study in the same way it could for Route 1 or Route 90 access. Several members urged select-board- or town-level coordination on pathways, intersection improvements and CMP/electrical capacity. Planning staff said the town’s traffic-infrastructure study is intended to engage Maine DOT and that a separate pathways engineering contract was being procured.

After reviewing applicable sections of the land-use ordinance (chapters addressing zoning/dimensional requirements, performance and landscape/architecture standards, and site-plan review), the board made a series of motions finding the application met Chapter 900 (permitted use and dimensional requirements), Chapter 800 (erosion and stormwater provisions), Chapter 1000 (landscape and architectural standards), and Section 1305 (site-plan performance standards). Each motion passed 4–0, and the board voted that the application meets the land-use ordinance as presented.

The board’s approval closes the planning-board stage of review; applicants and staff will carry forward the technical plans and any required permitting, and the town’s ongoing pathway and traffic efforts remain potential follow-up items. The chair closed the public hearing and the meeting moved on to other agenda items.

Votes and next steps: the planning board recorded unanimous votes on completeness and ordinance compliance; planning staff said coordination with public-works and state DOT representatives will continue as part of implementation and permitting.