TURNER — Either the Planning Board did the right thing in saying yes to Hannaford last spring, or it didn’t.

A judge will hear arguments in Androscoggin County Superior Court on Friday at 10:15 a.m. from an attorney representing five residents whose property would abut the new Route 4 grocery store, from Hannaford and from the town.

Those residents — Susan and Philip Bizier, Angela and Daniel Chabot and Kathryn Woodward — are appealing approval of Hannaford’s site plan review last March.

“Our position is that the Planning Board erred and that the permit should not have been issued for a number of reasons,” said attorney Jeffrey Thaler from Bernstein Shur, representing the residents.

He’ll be asking the judge to “reverse the permit and deny it as a matter of law” or send the decision back to the Planning Board for reconsideration.

William Plouffe, Turner’s attorney from Drummond Woodsum & MacMahon, said the town’s position is that the court should uphold the Planning Board’s approval.

In granting the site plan review on March 9, “The decision went on for more than 40 pages. There were various criteria under consideration,” Plouffe said.

Impacts to traffic, wetlands and wildlife, as well as pedestrian safety, were all taken into consideration, he said.

Hannaford’s attorney didn’t return a call for comment.

Hannaford has been talking about building a 36,000-square-foot grocery store at the corner of Snell Hill Road and Route 4, since April 2009.

After Friday’s oral arguments, the judge could take weeks to issue a ruling.

kskelton@sunjournal.com

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