BIDDEFORD — The Planning Board voted unanimously Thursday to approve the final subdivision plan for a 45-unit senior condominium complex on the corner of Granite and West streets. The approval has been about four months in the making and is the result of compromise between project and city officials and residents who initially didn’t see eye to eye.

Biddeford resident and developer James Bernard – who owns the seven-acre property, which is known to its neighbors as “the horse farm,” and who also devel- oped the Eastwoods retirement community on Hill Street – first brought plans for a larger, 54-unit senior condominium complex to the Planning Board in July.

At that time, the board voted in favor of a zoning change to allow the project to move forward despite several residents of the area arguing that the project would destroy a beautiful piece of property, pose traffic safety concerns, and be out-of-place in the neighborhood, which one neighbor described as an “oasis of single-family homes.”

In August, spurred by the same residents’ concerns, the City Council suggested Bernard come back to the table seeking a contract zone for a slightly smaller project. A contract zone, city officials explained, ensures that if a project stalls, the property slated for development automatically reverts back to its original zone.

Bernard obliged without pause and the project finally gained footing earlier this month, when the Planning Board approved the preliminary subdivision plan for the complex, which will spread 45 units of 55-andolder housing through nine buildings known as the Carriage House retirement community.

The amount of compromise that went into starting the project wasn’t lost on board members as they approved the final subdivision plan Thursday.

“When this (project) started there was a room full of people here totally against it,” said Planning Board member Richard Potvin. “Now, the people that are here are all for it, so that means everybody’s satisfied. I think we’re going to see a nice project.”

“It’s kind of refreshing to see that we have a staff and a city that is willing to work with an applicant,” said board member Larry Patoine.

City Planner Greg Tansley said the contract zone for the project will be subject to final approval by the City Council as soon as Nov. 17.

— Staff Writer Angelo J. Verzoni can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 329 or averzoni@journaltribune.com.