Woodstone drops 55+ restriction, switches to single-family homes in York
YORK, Maine — A 55-plus age limit for residential units at the former Mary Davis property has been lifted, allowing for single-family homes rather than condos for retirees.
The Woodstone at York Village development was approved by the town's Planning Board in 2019, with 52 quadruplex units reserved for people ages 55 and up. Last week, the Planning Board approved an amendment by Woodstone developers to remove the age restriction and replace plans for quadruplexes with single-family homes.
The board voted 3-2 Feb. 22 to pass the amendment, with opponents arguing the original plans should be honored. The project is across more than 100 acres of previously untouched land and has taken years to develop.
The majority of the board thought the changes requested by the developer did not have adverse consequences.
Woodstone’s hired engineer, Lawrence Beals, said the decision to drop senior housing was based on market data. He also said it fit the town’s comprehensive plan to promote more families in town.
“There’s no strong reason we need to reserve it for 55 and older,” Planning Board Chair Wayne Boardman said.
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The Woodstone development project was planned to be built over two phases, comprising 111 units. The second phase is yet to be completed and originally included 67 homes, with many having the 55 and up age limit.
Woodstone developers returned to the Planning Board last year with a proposal to amend their plan for the second phase to reduce the number of total units to 53 and remove the age restriction.
The proposal irked some neighbors who believed the developer was pulling a “bait and switch” after having agreed in 2019 to include units for people 55 and older. It also received pushback from those living on Donica Road, who have claimed the significant flooding they’ve experienced was because of the trees cut down to make way for the development. Beals told the Planning Board the flooding was not related to Woodstone.
Others, however, supported lifting the age restriction.
“This was an ideal spot for families and kids,” Donica Road resident Diane Bright said when the amendment went before the Planning Board. “It’s a win for the town.”
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Board members split on lifting 55+ restriction
Planning Board members Meredith Goodwin and Brian Trafton voted against approving the change to the plan.
Trafton said he believed the original plans approved by the Planning Board should be honored.
“I think we should back off on that,” Trafton said. “I think there was a reason that the board did it originally.”
Boardman said that the consequentiality of the age restriction was diminished by the fact the homes in the Woodstone development have been selling for nearly $1 million. The project includes six workforce housing units that are not restricted in age, and the amendment will not impact those units.
"What we are concerned with when it comes to age-restricted or elderly housing is elderly housing at an affordable rate,” Boardman said. “We don’t need to mandate expensive elderly housing.”
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This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Woodstone at York Village gains approval to drop 55-plus restriction
