Gorham’s foray into marketing town-owned, industrial real estate inches closer to reality
next week.

The town’s Planning Board on Dec. 1, in a first step of a likely lengthy process, will discuss with an engineer representing Amazon the company’s plans to build a 158,100-square-foot warehouse on a 94-acre Main Street parcel the town has agreed to sell the marketing giant.

The proposed building, a distribution center for southern Maine, would be 510 feet by 310 feet, would cover about 3.6 acres and include office space.

Proposed parking lot spaces include 565 for vans and another 330 for employees, according to
details on a sketch plan Project Engineer Christopher Taylor of Sebago Technics submitted Nov. 10 to the town.

“They are proposing three street openings,” Town Planner Carol Eyerman said in a Nov. 24 email to Westbrook-Gorham Now.

The three entrances/exits onto Main Street would include separate access to accommodate employees, vans and tractor trailers. Plans call for widening a stretch of Main Street (Route 25).

Mark Curtis, chair of Gorham Economic Development Corp., said in an email on Tuesday that the board recently decided not to comment.

“We may issue a statement from the board at some point, but decided to wait until the Planning Board and the public had an opportunity to review the project submission,” Curtis said.

But Curtis provided some personal observations. “There are some universal truths for a project of this size in Gorham. My answer below would be the same no matter the name of the buyer,” Curtis wrote.

“Gorham Economic Development Corporation’s mission is to encourage non-residential diversification and growth of the tax base,” Curtis wrote. “It matters not the name of the buyer, only that the use is consistent with the existing LUDC (Land Use and Development Code) and the applicant can adhere to the operating standards approved. An investment of this nature represents a unique opportunity for Gorham to balance economic growth with community needs and reinforces the town’s role as a hub for regional jobs and innovation. Public engagement and Planning Board review will ensure project plans are aligned with Gorham’s development standards and provide opportunities to address community concerns — including traffic, environmental, and infrastructure impacts — before final approval.”

Gorham’s agreement with Amazon was decided in a special Town Council meeting in August. Townspeople have not had an opportunity, as of yet, to air their concerns in a public forum about Amazon’s plans.

Town councilors Aug. 19 granted permission, 5-2, with Councilors Charles Simms and Seven Siegel opposed to selling the property to Amazon for $4 million. A purchase-sale agreement hinges on eventual Planning Board approval.

The property is a portion of a large land site the town bought a few years ago for $4 million. Gorham voters in November 2019 approved a referendum, 1,378-1,016, authorizing the town to borrow the $4 million to buy 141 acres from the M.P. Rines Trust and spend up to another $1.9 million to develop the property into a new industrial park.

The municipality acquired the land with intent that development of the property would ease the tax burden on homeowners. The property has access to public water and sewer.

But since the acquisition, town efforts to market the property in smaller lots have fallen through.

The property is a short distance from neighboring downtown Westbrook and a path from Gorham to the Maine Turnpike system runs through the city. Westbrook Mayor David Morse was waiting this week before commenting on the project’s impact on Westbrook.

“I consulted with staff and have been advised that right now all we know is that Amazon has an option on town of Gorham property to perform their due diligence to determine if that location is suitable for their proposed development,” Morse said in an email Tuesday. “At this time, we don’t know what they are looking to do, so we are not ready to comment. No one has reached out to Westbrook about specifics of the project yet.”

Morse said the city planner has told him when a project reaches the point that it starts its traffic movement permit with Maine Department of Transportation, Westbrook would be invited to participate in those meetings to provide feedback on the specific applications.

The Dec. 1 Planning Board meeting is set for 7 p.m. at the Gorham Municipal Center, 75 South St., and is not listed as a public hearing.