The Sabattus Planning Board accepted KP Realty Group’s application for a 96-unit housing development on No Name Pond Road as complete for review following a lengthy discussion Tuesday.

Review will start this summer.

Residents who live in the area were taken aback last month by the large footprint of the project, which includes eight buildings. Some have circulated a petition against the project.

They are concerned the project, proposed on land between No Name Pond Road and Greene Street, will result in too much population growth in a short period of time, which could strain school, public safety and public works services. They also are concerned about the impact on traffic in the area.

At last month’s planning board meeting, officials asked KP Realty to submit additional information before reviewing the project, in particular traffic studies on No Name Pond Road.

KP had submitted information from a 2023 Maine Department of Transportation traffic study, but some board members wanted more up-to-date data.

Board members debated the point, some feeling they didn’t need the extra information immediately to proceed, and others wanting the information before the review.

They also discussed the need for sidewalks in that area and adding it as a stipulation to the application. Board members felt that because the project would be bringing more residents to that area, it may create a need for sidewalks. If so, members felt that the developer should be responsible for constructing them as part of the development.

The town’s attorney cautioned board members to limit the scope of their information requests and project stipulations to requirements outlined in the town ordinance. If there isn’t language in the ordinance that allows the board to request certain information or require certain stipulations, it could be opening itself up to a legal dispute, the attorney said.

A representative for KP Realty at the meeting Tuesday would not agree on the company’s behalf at that time to a new traffic study on No Name Pond Road, but he said the company hears the board’s concerns and the company intends to bring additional information forward to address those concerns at future planning board meetings.

He said that if the road in that area needs to be upgraded or a sidewalk needs to be built regardless of whether or not the project is constructed, then the company should not be on the hook for doing those upgrades.