WATERVILLE — The Planning Board on Tuesday voted 6-0 to recommend the City Council rezone three lots on Drummond Avenue to allow at least one property owner to build houses there.

The properties, located on the western side of Drummond Avenue, are zoned general industrial and the landowners request they be rezoned to residential-B. Property owner Dennis Brockway wants about nine acres of his 13 acres, located across the avenue from Wolf and Montcalm streets, to be rezoned so he can construct housing there.

Jeff Allen, an engineer with A.E. Hodsdon Consulting Engineers, represented Brockway at the meeting.

Planning Board member Scott Beale said he rides his bike along the properties a lot and they are often under water.

“Do we have to worry about that when we’re trying to amend the zoning?” he asked.

Allen said the wetlands are being evaluated and his client can avoid those areas when planning for building houses. He will be back to the board with a site plan for the housing development, which would include a cul de sac facing Drummond Avenue. The site plan presentation would occur pending the council’s approval of rezoning.

John Lombardi, who said he has lived on Drummond Avenue about 19 years, wants his property rezoned as it would reduce the setback requirement.

City Planner Ann Beverage said she sent letters to affected property owners and abutters along the strip, asking them to contact her if they want their properties rezoned to residential. She heard from two people, one of whom did not want his rezoned and another who told her that his land is nearly all wetland so it can’t be developed anyway.

“He said it didn’t matter to him what it is zoned,” she said. “It is not developable. I didn’t hear from anybody else.”

Bruce Fowler, who represents Sidney H. Geller Trust, which owns 152 Drummond Ave., said that property is leased out to a management company. He asked if the preexisting industrial use can continue as it has been, if properties are rezoned.

“Yes, that’s always the case,” Beverage said.

She said she would get this on to the council’s agenda as soon as possible.

In March, the council voted to refer the matter to the Planning Board for a hearing and recommendation on whether to rezone. The board may recommend zoning changes, but it doesn’t have authority to rezone. Only the council has that authority.