Brunswick residents push back against affordable housing project

BRUNSWICK, Maine (WMTW) - On Thursday night, several Brunswick residents appealed the Planning Board’s decision to allow new affordable housing into their neighborhood.

“You people are trying to turn it into a city,” Ron Dionne, Brunswick resident, said.

The Brunswick Planning Board approved the proposed development, Wilbur’s Woods, back in January. Over 50 Brunswick residents are now appealing this decision out of concern for the safety of their neighborhood.

“An apartment building in a 100% single-family residential area just does not belong,” said Barbara Taylor, Brunswick resident. “It brings in a different type of people. Your pride of ownership is gone.”

Residents fear it would affect town infrastructure, increase traffic, and that the large building would not fit into the neighborhood.

“Traffic is going to be an issue,” said Brunswick resident Nancy Conway.

Wilbur’s Woods would consist of an 18-unit multi-family building along with 21 two-bedroom houses, and they would be rented at affordable to moderate income levels as determined by the town of Brunswick.

Some residents argued the new renters would not respect the neighborhood.

“A transient, meaning coming and going, in an apartment building, really doesn’t respect the area as much as a property owner would,” said Chris Teel, the Brunswick resident who led the charge in this appeal.

Although the meeting was largely filled with nearby homeowners, some residents spoke out in support of the project, saying it’s a needed addition to the town.

“It makes me sick that some people just seems to want this to be a gated community,” said Brunswick resident Cameron M. “The people who work real jobs that keep this town running are not going to be able to afford to live here.”

The realtor for Wilbur’s Woods also addressed that concern in a statement this afternoon.

“If you look at the need for more affordable housing, Wilbur’s Woods is providing an opportunity for homeowners to live in a quality neighborhood for a reasonable price compared to the median home cost,” said realtor Alex Wiss. “We need to work with more towns like Brunswick to help provide quality housing to a greater range of people.”

Attorneys for both the planning board and the developer defended the project in the meeting that lasted over four hours. The chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals said they will schedule another meeting soon so they can make their decision.