Board approves planned group development for 557 Stillwater Ave with conditions on second sign and future site plan

The City of Bangor Planning Board on July 7 granted a land development permit for a planned group development at 557 Stillwater Ave that will allow a potential fourth building and a second pylon sign, subject to two conditions: the applicant must obtain a sign permit for the second sign and must return to the planning board for review of the fourth building’s site plan.

Fred Marshall of Plymouth Engineering, representing ERG Realty, said negotiations with a prospective tenant made a pylon sign a necessity. "During the course of negotiations...they were adamant that they wanted a pylon sign," Marshall said, and explained that the group-development designation would allow the additional sign to meet required distances.

Staff recommended the board include a condition that a sign permit for the second sign be obtained and that plans for the fourth building come back to the board for site-plan review. Board members clarified that the sign permit process is separate from the pending decision and that the condition should be recorded in the decision's conditions of approval.

The board made the required findings for plan-group development, voted that applicable code sections were satisfied, and then voted to grant the land development permit with the two conditions. The vote was taken by roll call and passed unanimously.

Next steps: The approval will be recorded at the registry of deeds and the applicant must apply for the sign permit and return with the fourth-building site plan for future board review.