Brunswick committee advances pier, Pegasus Street building, Bowdoin housing projects

The Brunswick Staff Review Committee met on September 22 and moved three development projects forward, including a shoreline stabilization and pier replacement at 73 Minnow Shore Road, a new 15,000 square foot multi-tenant building at 11 Pegasus Street, and interior renovations at Bowdoin College's Reed House at 7 Booty Street. The committee also reviewed a zoning text amendment that would let the Planning Board waive maximum impervious surface limits for municipal facilities.

Key points

• The committee voted unanimously to advance the Elaine and Ken Crowe pier replacement and shoreline stabilization project as a combined sketch and final plan to the Planning Board.
• The 11 Pegasus Street multi-tenant building advanced as a sketch plan, with staff raising questions about parking counts, curb cuts, sidewalk connections, and landscaping.
• The committee approved the Bowdoin College Reed House minor development review, with conditions including Code Enforcement Officer approval for a fence over six feet and confirmation that the stormwater system meets zoning standards.
• The committee approved a waiver of minimum parking setback requirements for the Reed House project under section 4.9.3 of the zoning ordinance.
• Abutters at 1 and 11 Booty Street raised concerns about construction parking, noise from a patio egress, drainage and flooding, and plantings, and Bowdoin representatives responded.
• The committee reviewed a zoning text amendment to allow the Planning Board to waive or modify maximum impervious surface coverage for municipal facilities, with staff suggesting added stormwater language and a possible relocation within the ordinance.

Next steps

• Applicants for the Minnow Shore Road project must submit a revised financial capacity letter, add a hat line to the landscaping plan, and provide updates before the Planning Board meeting, with materials due by October 6.
• The Pegasus Street applicant will address staff comments on parking, landscaping, sidewalks, and utility plans before returning to the Planning Board.
• Bowdoin College will follow up with neighbors on fencing, plantings, and construction logistics outside the site plan review process.
• Staff will refine the municipal facilities impervious surface amendment language before it goes to the Planning Board.

Read the full transcript