A Kittery business park has sat vacant for years. Could new zoning change that?

Kittery Stalls on 90‑acre Parcel as Town Grapples with Future Development

KITTERY, ME — A 90‑acre tract of land that sits just off the southbound shoulder of Interstate 95 and Dennett Road in Kittery has remained largely untouched for more than a decade and a half. The property, once earmarked as a tax‑increment financing (TIF) district in 2010 to spur business and industrial growth, is now the focus of a tug‑of‑war between the town’s Housing Committee and Conservation Commission. Both groups are presenting competing plans to the Planning Board, hoping to shape the parcel into a mixed‑use neighborhood that balances residential needs with environmental protection.

A Long‑Standing Dead‑End

The parcel’s history is a patchwork of zoning shifts. In 2010 the town’s council designated the land as a business park under TIF, a move meant to attract private developers by promising future tax revenue. The zone’s language favored “mixed‑use” projects and called for developers to combine commercial, residential and entertainment uses on “larger tracts of land.” However, no developer has put a single building on the site.

In 2018 the council changed the zoning to a mixed‑use residential district, but a proposed $300 million project—known as Dennett Landing—that would have added more than 300 units, medical offices, a restaurant, childcare and assisted‑living facilities was ultimately rejected by residents through a petition. The opposition raised concerns about rising property taxes, environmental impacts, and the strain on public utilities. The council’s response was a moratorium on further development until a new, more balanced plan could be drafted. The moratorium expired in 2023, but the parcel remains undeveloped and overgrown.

The Current Debate

Now the Planning Board is set to consider two proposals that have emerged from the town’s own committees.

Housing Committee Proposal

Chair Russell White, who also serves on the Housing Committee, says the town has a pressing need for affordable housing. “I’d say two or three years ago, approximately, the Town Council, seeing that affordable housing was a real need, sort of designated it as a high priority,” White told reporters. He believes the parcel’s existing water and sewer infrastructure makes it a prime spot for a new residential neighborhood.

The Housing Committee’s draft ordinance would permit multi‑ and single‑family homes, accessory dwelling units, agricultural developments, and recreational spaces. It would also allow certain uses that the town’s residential suburban ordinance currently supports, such as schools, religious facilities, and some child or elder‑care centers. In exchange, the committee is willing to set open‑space requirements at 25% of the total area, arguing that wetlands and other non‑buildable land already count toward that quota.

Conservation Commission Proposal

MaryAlice LaPoint, Chair of the Conservation Commission, argues that the housing committee’s plan underestimates the parcel’s ecological value. “The housing committee is claiming that the wetlands that can’t be built on anyway, the wetlands and the setback, counts as open space,” LaPoint said. She pointed out that a portion of the parcel’s northeast corner is protected wetland.

LaPoint’s draft ordinance keeps the same housing density goals but introduces stricter open‑space and environmental standards. The proposal would preserve 25% of the land in a protected state, including areas designated by the state as having special significance. It would require a tree canopy, restrict turfgrass use, and mandate that at least 80% of planted vegetation be native species. If a developer fails to meet these standards, the commission would “fight back,” LaPoint warned. “Unless we get that, we’ll be one of the voices to say, ‘If you can’t do it right, then you can’t do it at all.’”

Community Reaction

The debate has heightened community anxiety. White noted that the town’s past experience with Dennett Landing has left some developers wary: “I think there is at least one developer who is interested in the parcel, but there was so much pushback at the Dennett Landing that he doesn’t want to run afoul of that.” Residents remain divided between a desire for new housing and fear of increased traffic, tax burdens, and loss of green space.

LaPoint added that the aesthetic of nearby Seacoast Residences—a multi‑unit complex that some locals refer to by a coarse nickname—has further fueled opposition to new development. “There’s a coarse nickname residents have for that building,” LaPoint said, though she declined to share it. She suggested that the Conservation Commission’s ordinance could set aesthetic requirements that “honor Kittery’s maritime heritage,” potentially easing community concerns.

Moving Toward a Compromise

Both committees and the Planning Board see the need to blend the housing committee’s growth goals with the conservation commission’s environmental safeguards. White said that the Housing Committee and the planning board recognize some of the Commission’s proposals are “not essential” but do contain “good ideas.” He added that finding a workable compromise may be beyond the board’s current capacity, but the town’s director of planning is already drafting a new ordinance that incorporates elements from both sides.

The town council will ultimately approve any new ordinance. The Planning Board plans to hold a public hearing in November or December, after which the council will vote. “The timeline to adopt a new ordinance has shifted a lot in the last few years, and with two competing proposals, it remains unclear when a change will be made final,” White said.

What the Parcel Could Mean

If the town moves forward, the 90‑acre site could become a vibrant mixed‑use neighborhood that adds much-needed housing to Kittery while preserving natural resources. The parcel is already served by public water and sewer lines, which could reduce infrastructure costs for developers. A balanced approach would allow for residential units, possibly a small commercial strip, and ample open space, potentially creating a new community hub on the outskirts of the town.

For now, the land remains a quiet, overgrown stretch of grass and trees, a reminder of the complexities that come with balancing growth, community values, and environmental stewardship. As Kittery waits for the planning board’s decision, residents and developers alike watch closely, hoping the town can find a path that satisfies both its need for housing and its commitment to preserving the natural character of the region.