HERE WE GO AGAIN. More development when the Comprehensive plan wanted dog parks out where the malls were and some apartments. Now we get more buildings and more housing. Look we need housing but at what cost?
In case you did not read it in the Portsmouth Enquirer the KPB Agenda
KITTERY, Maine — The Outlets at Kittery would be demolished under a new proposal calling for the construction of a 120-room hotel, 100-unit apartment building and a 10,000-square-foot retail and restaurant building along bustling Route 1.
The Kittery Planning Board is set to hear the mega-mixed-use redevelopment proposal for the first time this week. The 6.4-acre retail shopping plaza site, located at 283 Route 1, includes a large parking lot and is located next to the landmark Kittery Trading Post.
ITEM 2 – 283 Route 1 Mixed Use Master Site Development Plan – Sketch Plan Review
Action: accept sketch plan or continue review. Neil Hansen of Tighe & Bond, Inc, representing the property owner, proposes to re-develop the 6.4-acre property located at 283 Route 1 with a mixed use project comprised of three separate buildings including a 120-room, 18,500 square foot hotel, a 100-unit, 25,000 square-foot apartment building, and a 10,000 square foot retail/ service building. The property is identified as Map 30 Lot 44, is within the C-1 Commercial 1 zoning district, and is currently developed with retail uses
In a few years, these questions will be undoubtedly be asked.
- Who was minding the store when these projects got passed?
- Are there back door tax deals, as was previously suggested before, being allowed again?
- Who did not think of the vast amount of housing and the impact to the Kittery Services and infrastructures like the dump, sewer, public safety, roads etc?
- What about the cost to residents for more teachers, police and fire fighters?
- What about the cost and enlargement of the Towns near capacity sewer system and waste water facility?
- What about the traffic?
- What the hell happened to Kittery?
- The Town Manager creates more positions this Town to build her empire, do we really need a MARIJUANA CZAR, FACEBOOK ADMINISTRATOR, DOG CONTROL BOARD, TRAFFIC CIRCLE GRASS MANAGER.?
We need housing, like single family homes. The jury is still out on multi-residential apartments and the soaring costs of rent. Ask Portsmouth how their rent ratio is going.
What should we do? Well perhaps Kittery should start by having a RENT CONTROL BOARD. Then see how many developers who want to line their pockets with cash feel about never turning a profit.
How about the demographics. What a large voting group. A Town Council candidate or petitioner would only have to campaign in a select few areas and garner all the votes for these new residents and we control the Town of Kittery. Hmmm… maybe I am on to something.
FREE TRASH PICKUP Done, PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL, Done, BAN THE DOGS on the Kittery Beaches Done.
Kittery needs to be cognizant and slow the expansion and fleecing of Kittery by big money developers who their only goal is to turn a profit. I am waiting for a developer to say, I will build a multi million dollar complex and it will be free rent based on a lottery system because I subscribe to the realization that we need more housing. I think not.
Kittery is being run by outsiders. Complete with a Town manager who lives in Massachussets and bringing the culture or SPENDAHOLICS to this small quaint northern town. Kittery is changing and soon you won’t recognize the Town in a few more years.
Picture a glass full of water with ice cubes filled to the brim. Once it is full, add one more ice cube. The answer is right there. Stop before it is too late.
The library was supposed to cost five million and we were supposed to see the Taylor Building for upwards of one million to offset the cost of the library. After it is built to the tune of six million (Say What) , the Town Manager decides to bring the Horse from the back of the cart and move it to the front and send out survey to see what the people’s vision would be of a five year plan that should already have been developed. What ?! this should have been done before we spent the money on the library. Why have the people not come to the library?
Let us recreate everything we did at the community center and offer the same programs at the library. It worked at the KCC. The KCC was once almost in the Black under the leadership of Janice Grady. Where is the KCC in terms of Cost today.
Let us protect KITTERY and let’s do our homework, review and dissect everything about developing. Perhaps it is time a TAX CAP is implemented in KITTERY. Even consider a long range building moratorium.
Let us not vote on it and take time to learn what will the impact be in the future before we make changes to our way of life. We need to know everything and what was going to happen to Kittery before pulling the trigger on projects that contain buzzwords and make people giddy.
Building it before these questions are asked is a dangerous as walking on thin ice in april…since there are no sidewalks for the school kids. (for another story)
The tax money that these apartments bring does not lower your taxes, it allows for expansion of Town Government and the unseen liabilities will come out of your pocket.
For those who want it, I applaud your vision, and let us build them next to your homes and see what you think then.
WAKE UP KITTERY, you may be being fleeced.
.