There is mounting public pushback among Sabattus residents to a proposed 96-unit housing development on No Name Pond Road across from the former Sabattus Primary School.

KP Realty is proposing to construct eight buildings containing one- and two-bedroom apartments on 14 acres of land.

The buildings would be constructed in phases. An access road through the development would connect No Name Pond Road and Greene Street and offer parking.

The area is currently undeveloped and is wooded with pockets of wetlands, along with a stream in the southwest corner of the lot that drains into the Sabattus River. The company will have to obtain a Maine Department of Environmental Protection Stormwater Management permit and a Natural Resources Protection Act permit.

Some residents feel the area, and town services, cannot sustain that much new housing and the subsequent increased traffic in such a short period of time.

Kevin and Linda Brewer started gathering signatures last weekend at the transfer station for a petition asking the Select Board to reject the project. They collected 387 signatures in two days, Kevin Brewer said.

Most of the people they talked to didn’t know about the proposed housing development, he said. But once they did, most felt “that’s too much to bring into this little town.”

Town officials say the review of the project is just getting underway, and there is a process they are required to follow. There will be opportunities for residents to talk about what they want for the future of the town.

“These are important discussions for the community to have, and I believe it is critical that residents continue to ask questions and stay engaged throughout the process,” Town Manager Raquel Welch said.

THE PETITION

The petition reads: “To show the Sabattus Town Board members that the town residents are strongly opposed to the development of KP Realty Group’s proposal of multi-residential units containing 96 apartments in Sabattus town village on No Name Pond Road, without completed infrastructure studies and comparison of projected town revenue, versus costly upgrades, we do not support moving forward with this project.”

Traffic has been heavier around Greene Street and No Name Pond Road, the Brewers said, since new turnpike access was added. Exit 86 on Interstate 95 is just over 2 miles away from their 38 Greene St. home, where they’ve lived since 1988.  

The potential traffic from dozens of additional vehicles frequenting the area is too much for the roads to sustain as currently constructed, he said.

“Now we have traffic nonstop,” he said. “It’s 25 miles an hour through here; they do 50. Now we’re going to bring in 192 more people with cars — I can’t imagine.”

They’re also concerned about the impact that much population growth could have on town services, further straining them and driving up costs to operate them.

Part of the charm of living in a small town is knowing your neighbors and enjoying a slower pace of life, Brewer said. He has watched the town’s population increase over the years and thinks the housing development could contribute to even more growth in a short period of time, changing the nature of the town.

As of 2025, U.S. Census estimates there are 5,397 residents in the town, up from an estimated 5,035 in 2020.

The couple think town officials are not listening enough to residents who are apprehensive about the scale of the project, and they feel not enough is being done to inform the residents about it.

Welch, the town manager, said the review process is meant to balance private development interest with public interest. The town strives to act fair, transparent and review the facts, ordinances and expert advice, she said.

Welch said she understands why residents are concerned about the size of the project and she thinks their points deserve careful consideration. She said officials are reviewing the project thoroughly to ensure it complies with all state and local rules.

Population growth can put more strain on public safety, public works, code enforcement and town administration, she said. That will continue to be discussed as officials review the application.

She noted that developments can also increase the tax base, bringing in more revenue to help support those services and lower the tax burden.

She encouraged residents to continue to attend meetings, ask questions and review project materials.

“Community input is valuable, and informed discussion is important for any major project that could shape the future of the area,” she said.

The proposal also comes amid a general housing shortage in Maine. According to MaineHousing, as of last year Androscoggin County needed to produce 6,500 more units by 2030, part of the state’s ambitious housing goal of adding 84,000 new housing units by 2030.

A DIVIDED PLANNING BOARD

The Planning Board held an early discussion of KP’s application Tuesday night.

Some members expressed reservations about the project, at times leading to arguments.

Bruce Lovett said he would like to see the project built out over time in longer phases so the town can better control possible strain on services as the units get filled. He mentioned public pushback to the project and possible negative impacts to wetlands.

“Instead of giving him carte blanche to build eight buildings, or however many he’s got, I think we ought to say, ‘Well, why don’t we let him build two buildings and let’s wait two years to see what the impact is,’” he said.

The town attorney told councilors that board members can build measures into the company’s permit to ensure the project is built in phases, but warned them that they can only consider what is in the application and determine if it meets town ordinance requirements. They are limited in scope of what they can consider outside that.

Lovett disagreed. He said he thinks part of the board’s duty is to consider the impact a proposed development could have on the town.

Welch warned him that if the board doesn’t stick to reviewing the application based on criteria in the town’s ordinance the town could get sued.

Planning Board Vice Chair James Lowell echoed the attorney’s advice and urged board members to judge the application based on the town ordinance.

Town officials should review applications uniformly so prospective developers know what to expect when putting together their project plans, he argued.

Planning Board member Angela Mitchell said she would like to see a traffic study done on the area where the project is being proposed. Not knowing the impact the project could have on traffic in the area could lead to people getting hurt — specifically kids who bike and walk along those narrow roads.

She also said she doesn’t want the town to be responsible for the new road proposed through the project connecting No Name Pond Road to Greene Street.

Board members determined the company’s application was not complete for consideration, and will consider it when all required materials are submitted.

No one from KP Realty responded to a request for an interview as of Friday afternoon.