SANFORD — The Kiwanis Club of Sanford and Sanford Regional Technical Center have a plan for students to build five, single-family dwellings on a Kiwanis-owned five-acre lot  on Hanson’s Ridge Road, but the plan would require a zone change to move forward.

The Planning Board has voted against the change, agreeing that the zone change is incompatible with the city’s Comprehensive Plan.

But some critics of that decision, like Councilor Lucas Lanigan, point out that the Comprehensive Plan is outdated. He said he’d vote for the zone change and noted that the project would go through the scrutiny of the Planning Board as would any other project as it moves forward.

“Our Comprehensive Plan is out-of-date and we’re many years from making any changes because we can’t afford it,” said Lanigan.

The Sanford City Council on Tuesday held a first reading on the proposal to change the area from a Residential Development zone to a Single Family Residential zone. The council will hold a second reading and vote on the matter at their March 7 meeting. In the meantime, the council’s zoning subcommittee will take another look at the proposal when they meet at City Hall at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

The five-acre parcel is owned by the Kiwanis Club of Sanford Maine Charity Fund. 

The current Residential Development zone, where the parcel is situated allows for greater density of single-family and duplex homes, that are designed to be hooked into public water and sewerage. Planning Director Beth Della Valle said the current Residential Development zone allows for small, neighborhood lots, around an eighth of an acre

Kiwanian Mark Patterson favors the zone change. He said the homes would have their own well and septic systems because public water and sewerage is not available at the location and the costs associated with providing those utilities is prohibitive.

Patterson said the project would more fully revive SRTC’s home-building program. Students would build the five, single-family homes under the tutelage of SRTC and professionals from the Maine Association of Homebuilders, which Patterson said has pledged its support. When the homes sell, the proceeds go back to the Kiwanis Club.

“It is a win-win,” said Patterson.

Mayor Tom Cote wasn’t so sure.

“This feels like a lose-lose,” he said. “If we vote against it, we look like … jerks.” Voting in favor, however, he said, would go against the vote of the Planning Board.

“I’m for it, on paper,” the mayor said. He asked if that portion of the Comprehensive Plan could be reviewed and updated.

Della Valle said any change to the Comprehensive Plan would take months. She pointed out that the zoning portion of the plan is woven into Sanford’s land use development plan as well.

Deputy Mayor Maura Herlihy pointed out that months of work went into the Comprehensive Plan that was approved at a Town Meeting under Sanford’s former form of government.

“I think it’s a great project,” said Herlihy, but said she’d vote against it because the city would be breaking its own rules. She said the City Council shouldn’t make changes based on the group conducting the project, or its value to students.

“I’d hate to willy-nilly toss the (rules) aside,” Herlihy said. She said the city should “work the problem” within existing rules.

Lanigan pointed out that the parcel directly abuts a single-family zone. He said making the change would generate property taxes — it does not now, because the Kiwanis is a nonprofit.

Councilor Robert Stackpole said his recollection was that the zoning subcommittee did not favor the proposal. He said the project was an excellent one that would benefit the community but given the associated  problems, he said he was not prepared to vote in favor.

“I can’t think of a better project,” said Councilor Fred Smith.

City Manager Steve Buck said even if the council were to vote in favor, there are other issues with the property, like the depth of soil, vernal pools, the topography, curb cuts and more.

Councilor Joseph Hanslip said the council has to put an update of the Comprehensive Plan “on the front burner.”

“I’ll work as hard as I can to make this happen,” said Hanslip.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.