WATERVILLE — The City Council Tuesday night will consider referring to the Planning Board a request to rezone property off Western Avenue that formerly was a convent so 28 apartments for low-income seniors can be built there.
The council will meet at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at the Center downtown.
Merici Woods LP wants the council to rezone the 5-acre parcel at 172 Western Ave. from Institutional to Residential-A to allow construction of the apartments. Several years ago, Colby College leased the large brick building for use as a dormitory. The building for decades housed nuns from the Ursuline order, who founded Mount Merici Convent and Academy at the site in 1912.
The Planning Board may only recommend to the council whether to rezone; the council makes the final decision.
In other matters Tuesday, the council will consider taking a first of two needed votes to vacate any public and private rights on part of a proposed but unaccepted section of Lafayette Street. The part of the street to be vacated is 40 feet wide and about 128 feet long.
Brian and Linda Dutil want to combine lots on opposite sides of part of the street that has not been constructed and have granted easements to the Kennebec Water District and to a neighbor who has a private sewer line in the paper street, according to the council agenda. Part of Lafayette Street east of the Dutils’ property will remain a paper street.
In separate matters, councilors will consider selling 9 Abbott St. to its former owner. The city foreclosed on the property in February for nonpayment of taxes. The former owner would pay back due property taxes plus costs in the amount of $7,521 plus $550 to cover legal and administrative costs. Councilors took a first vote May 17 to approve selling the property.
The council also will consider selling 5 Kimball St. for $12,103 to Todd DeBlois, who submitted the highest bid for the tax-acquired property. The city foreclosed on the property in February.
Councilors will consider appointing Scott Fortin to the Planning Board to fill a vacancy created when board member Scott Workman resigned because he was moving out of the city.
Amy Calder — 861-9247
Twitter: @AmyCalder17
Copy the Story LinkSend questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.