The developer of the planned Verdante condominiums at 56 Hampshire St. in Portland (“Planned Hampshire Street condos need more Portland Planning Board oversight,”) is back asking for more concessions from the Planning Board, including one additional unit without on-site parking, bringing the number of units to 31 with only 28 parking spaces and one commercial unit with no parking or loading zone. ?This will further increase the demand on already very limited street parking; there are only 18 street parking spaces on all of Hampshire Street.

Also, according to the Verdante site plan, 13 trees will be removed. Two trees at 60/62 Hampshire St. have already been removed, although the Verdante plans, approved by the board in September, did not include removing these trees or installing utilities this far from the Verdante site. The current plan is to replant trees across the street where three trees died of salt runoff and were cut down last year. No trees will survive in this location.

The use of bricks on the back of the building was abandoned in September. Instead, copper details were added. Now the copper will be the negotiating chip to get the additional apartment without a parking space.

All these requests should be turned down at the Feb. 26 meeting.

Judith Allen
Portland