WESTBROOK – Some 25 residents, many neighbors of the long-dormant Prides Corner Elementary School, had plenty of questions about setbacks and buffers when they joined the Planning Board for a site walk Saturday of the planned condominium development.

The walk, led by City Planner Molly Just and civil engineer Shawn Frank of Sebago Technics, aimed to show residents the layout of the development on the property, which had already been marked with orange-tipped stakes, marking the back corners of each building.

The school will be razed to make way for the project, which is being developed by Stephen Goodrich, CEO of the Portland-based credit card processor, PowerPay. He paid the city $450,000 for the property. Also involved with the development team is Vincent Maietta, whose company, V & E Enterprises, had tried to purchase the property in October, with a tentative plan of constructing 98 apartment units spread between two or three large buildings. Overwhelming public comment against the proposal from neighbors led the City Council to reject the sale. Neighbors were troubled by the scope of the proposal, as well as its possible impact on schools and traffic.

Frank said at the site walk that the plan for the 10-acre property includes construction of 23 duplex buildings, with a total of 46 units. He said there would be three different building styles, with two single-story styles, and one two-story style. The plan has 10 single-story and 13 two-story buildings.

Frank added that, much like the neighboring Brydon Farms condominium development, the units would most likely appeal to residents 55 and older, with a master bedroom on the first floor.

Through the walk, Frank took residents to the back corners of buildings closest to each property line, while simultaneously pointing out proposed features, including a pond, park and landscaping.

Some residents voiced concerns about emergency vehicle access, traffic, blasting and whether there would be another entrance to the property in addition to the one on Pride Street.

“We’ll certainly work with the fire department and make sure they are comfortable at the end of the day,” Frank said. “We’re going to be doing a lot more detail associated with this.”

He added that there would be a traffic study done, but that the development would most likely not be allowed to make another entrance or exit onto Route 302.

With blasting most likely to occur, some residents seemed worried, but Frank said that as part of regulations, a pre-blast survey would be done to mark any existing damage to neighboring houses.

“I understand blasting makes people nervous, but it has come a long way,” he said. “It’s very controlled.”

A majority of concerns came from abutters worried about property setbacks and buffers. Frank estimated that there would be roughly 20 feet between the back of a newly constructed building and the property line of an abutter, but it could be more. Zoning allows for a minimum of 15 feet.

Making his way back toward the school, abutter Joe Moger, who lives at 293 Pride St., said. “I like to know what’s around me. I moved here because it’s ‘the way life should be,’ and I want my little piece of preciousness.”

However, Moger said, he likes the layout of the project better than the last attempt, which could have resulted in a three-story building.

Another immediate abutter, Eve Bither, who has lived at 261 Pride St. for more than 60 years. Although she wasn’t at the site walk Saturday, her daughter, Kathy, and son, Greg, were on hand to ask questions in her place.

“We own a property, and it’s all fields there,” Greg Bither said, pointing toward the property. “What’s to prevent those people from using my lawn as their back yard?”

They both asked about the potential of having a fence put up to provide a buffer.

Eve Bither said Tuesday that the lawn on her property abuts the back portion of the development, which has been used as a small system of trails within the school property.

“There are so few trees down there, that any of the houses will give a clear view and access to my back yard,” she said, adding she is also concerned that water runoff would go to her back yard after the developers fill portions of wetland.

Maietta said during the walk that it is not the intent to cut right up to the property line.

“We don’t expect to cut anymore than we have to,” he said.

Just said that because the developer only recently submitted the sketch plan, the project will “continue to be refined,” asking residents to stay involved in order to be heard. The next step will be a final site plan and eventual Planning Board approval.

Also on Saturday, the Planning Board held an additional site walk at 449 Stroudwater St., where a new 25,000-square-foot building is planned by the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland. The plan also calls for the construction of a lot to include overflow parking for the Westbrook Middle School and Performing Arts Center. The property is meant to tie into the future Landing Road that will be built with Phase 2 of the shelter’s Stroudwater Landing project. An amendment to the site plan will be discussed at a Planning Board meeting July 1.

Civil engineer Shawn Frank of Sebago Technics, center, shows residents, including Joe Moger, right, a sketch plan of a 46-unit condominium complex during a Westbrook Planning Board site walk Saturday. Pending approval, the project would be constructed on the former 10-acre site of Prides Corner Elementary School.  A sketch plan submitted by developers depicts the 23-building, 46-unit condominium project at the former Prides Corner Elementary School. Developers have said the school will be razed. On the sketch plan, a pond is seen roughly where the school now stands.