Greenville residents approve housing overlay district

GREENVILLE – A key step was taken toward the creation of a proposed multigenerational housing district on Spruce Street during a special town meeting on Dec. 6.

Via a vote of 21-8, residents approved an article asking if the town of Greenville would accept a land use ordinance amendment to help pave the way for the housing district.

For more than a year the Northern Forest Center has been working on a Spruce Street housing project with the town, Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corp., and Northern Light CA Dean Hospital to bring middle-income housing to the community to help remedy the housing issues near Moosehead Lake. The site is 5 acres on Spruce Street off Pritham Avenue owned by the MLREDC and the Northern Forest Center would purchase the property in the future.

To help bring the project to fruition a new overlay district was proposed by the Northern Forest Center. An overlay is an additional layer of planning control for properties in a clearly defined area with a specified set of regulations. Greenville previously had three overlays, a scenic corridor, another for groundwater preservation, and the shoreland zoning district.

The new district would permit the construction of 22-28 units on the Spruce Street property, which would make these homes more affordable. The new district would help eliminate as many barriers as possible. The Northern Forest Center would like to see no minimum lot size, no minimum setbacks from property lines, no maximum lot coverage, no minimum frontage, and no maximum height.

The Northern Forest Center would like to bring the proposal before its board in February, and everything should be in accordance with town ordinances before then in order for the project to proceed.

The Northern Forest Center has worked with the town to secure a $991,708 grant from Northern Border Regional Commission. An additional $265,000 to be raised by Northern Forest Center will also help offset the costs for sewer and water extensions, stormwater collection installation, and construction of a new road and sidewalks onto the property. The road, sidewalk, and water and sewer would be deeded to the town.

Also at the special town meeting, attendees – by a 27-2 vote – accepted an amendment to the planning board ordinance, allowing the number of members required for a quorum to become three rather than the four members currently required.  

The by-laws for the 5-member group have been in place since the establishment of the planning board in 1988, and there have been several amendments since then.