The Boothbay Planning Board gave conditional preliminary approval Sept. 18 for the first phase of Boothbay Regional Development Corporation's proposed Butler Road subdivision. The board voted, 5-0, for preliminary approval with one condition. The board denied a waiver for five reduced-sized parking spots. 

This is step two in a three-step process in BRDC's proposed affordable housing project. During the hearing, Vice President Erin Cooperrider described phase one as building 20 townhouse condominiums at 0 Butler Road. Five buildings with four units will likely be available for purchase next spring. Cooperrider told planning board members the corporation is targeting homebuyers making 75% to 125% of median household income or $63,250 to $101,250 per family. 

BRDC still needs final board approval. BRDC needs to resubmit its application, replacing five shorter parking spaces with five regular-sized ones. In previous planning board and selectmen's meetings, Butler Road residents voiced concerns how the subdivision would make already bad traffic problems worse, Homeowners complained about the road's rough and bumpy condition, noise pollution and safety concerns with cars travelling at high speeds. Under the municipal ordinance, the developer is required to provide a traffic survey with developments seeking 40 or more parking spots.

The BRDC proposal calls for 38 parking spots. Planning Board member Shri Verrill asked the municipal attorney about a town traffic survey to gauge the severity of the Butler Road problem. "You can ask, but there is nothing in the ordinance requiring either the applicant or town providing a traffic survey," said attorney Benjamin McCall of Jensen Baird.

Besides additional traffic and poor road conditions, resident Todd Barter had another concern. Earlier in the meeting, Cooperrider quoted a survey showing about 1,500 cars travel to Boothbay every day, and the project would allow those travelers to work and live here. 

Barter disagreed. "I've traveled out of town for 12 years, and I see the same people and pass the same cars every day," he said. "If they really wanted to move here, they would've found a way by now. The majority of people moving here are 55-plus. Most of our kids are moving because there are no jobs for them."

Barter also used the recent water and sewer project on Butler and Country Club roads to bolster his view about traveling conditions. He quoted McGee Construction President Lee McGee who at a previous selectmen's meeting described Butler Road as "small." Barter believed the road wasn't capable of handling regular traffic and is made worse as a Route 27 shortcut. 

"You can do all the traffic studies you want. It's not the real world," he said. "A week and a half ago, the accident with a motorcycle and ducks caused a traffic delay. I watched as traffic was rerouted to Butler with 30 cars a minute, and this was a minor accident as (Route) 27 remained open to single-lane traffic." 

The planning board meets next at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16 in the conference room.