By Carol McCracken

Residents of Waterville Street on the Hill are angry that a developer is trying to get city approval to build a three unit condominium on an empty one-tenth of an acre lot for which he paid $300,000.  The matter goes to the Planning  Board for its recommendation on June 9th.

Although the three story building is within city height restrictions, because it is taller than buildings immediately around it, the new building stands to block out sunshine as well as a vista of the Portland Waterfront from some of its neighbors.  Over the weekend neighbors complained that the exterior looks like “corrugated metal” – a “penal institute” as one neighbor put it.  The neighbor said the proposed condominium doesn’t look anything like what’s around it.

Another neighbor, Mary Casale, who lives next door to the proposed condominium at 29 Waterville Street, wrote a letter to the members of the planning board and its chair, David Silk on May 18.  Ms. Casale, who is a life-long resident of the Hill, said that the developer, “Waterville Triad, LLC” does not have “clear title to all of the land it wishes to develop at 29 Waterville Street.” The letter continues:  “As you will see, the survey shows my walls on their property and this is specifically referenced in Notes 4 and 6…..Please note that the Recording Plat prepared for Waterville Triad, LLC…..conveniently does not show Notes 4 and 6.  I think of this as an attempt by Waterville Triad, LLC to avoid discussing with the Planning Board the fact that it does not own all the property it proposes to develop.”

Finally, Ms. Casale requests that the planning board deny the developers’ application based on this latest information.  However, the planning board has no authority over boundary issues such as this.

In a telephone conversation, this morning developer Peter Bass said he and Ms. Casale are currently undergoing negotiations to resolve the matter.   He said that unfortunately “Ms. Casale waited until the last minute to bring this issue up.”  Bass additionally said he hoped the matter would not be resolved in court.