BRUNSWICK — The Planning Board on Tuesday night unanimously approved a 10-unit housing subdivision on upper Maine Street.

Chairman Charles Frizzles praised the development as an “innovative approach” to comply with the town’s Comprehensive Plan, which encourages higher residential density in the town’s growth zone.

“This is exactly the kind of thing we’re looking for,” he said.

Nine houses will be built in The Cottages of Upper Maine, on a 2.3-acre parcel at 363 Maine St. A house on the southeastern side of Maine Street will also be incorporated in the Meadowbrook-Parkview neighborhood zone.

Developer Paul Clark said during a January sketch plan review that he and business partner Ken Betts would sell lots in the $70,000-$75,000 range, and the homes would cost between $300,000 and $400,000.

The existing residence will still have street access, but the newly constructed homes will access the road along a 420-foot cul-de-sac. Homes will have access to public water, power and sewer.

The project sketch plan originally included the construction of a 10th house, but the developers and project engineers with Terradyn Consultants eliminated it to keep the design below the maximum impervious surface allowed.

The Planning Board twice pushed back against a request to waive a requirement that prohibits open-space developments from exceeding 35 percent of impervious surface.

Now only calling for 31.8 percent impervious surface, project engineer Michael Tadema-Wielandt said, “There’s no longer a need for a waiver.”

Developers also modified and refined a stormwater management plan to further reduce erosion and impact to the environment, and will use a system of swales to distribute water evenly toward lawns at the back of the property.

Plans will also mandate that driveways use “pervious pavers,” which Tadema-Wielandt said resemble bricks that absorb storm runoff through the cracks and filter it through the ground.

“You could put a fire hose on them and the water would go right through the cracks,” he said.

Though a handful of neighbors raised concerns about the project sketch plan – in particular, about an increase in traffic along Maine Street – none of them were present Tuesday.

Though absent, Frizzle still sought to assuage any concern by noting that the plans – based on a traffic study and data from the Department of Transportation – would not cause a dangerous increase in cars at the intersection with Maine Street.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protect has reviewed the parcel and confirmed that no building setbacks are required to protect the nearby area wetlands.

Callie Ferguson can be reached at 781-3661, ext. 100, or cferguson@theforecaster.net. Follow her on Twitter: @calliecferguson.

Edited 5/31: a previous version of this article stated the address of the proposed development as 636 Maine Street. It is 363 Maine Street.

Developers of The Cottages on Upper Maine, at 636 Maine St., Brunswick, received Planning Board approval May 23 for nine new homes.

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