North Scarborough

A neighborhood meeting was held on Thursday, July 11th at the South Coast Community Church.  More than 30 participants attended the meeting and shared their vision of the future.  The following notes summarize their vision. Participants identified their favorite places in North Scarborough.  The Nonesuch River and its watershed was the most popular special place.  In addition, historic cemeteries and buildings, open spaces (Land Trust land, Rod and Gun Club, farms) were often listed.  See map at right for more details. Next, participants were asked to share their hopes and fears for North Scarborough's future. Hopes for the Future of North Scarborough Fears for North Scarborough Over-development in North Scarborough would hurt Scarborough Special Places Hopes for Scarborough's Future

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• Hopes for the Future of North Scarborough
  • Better sense of community
  • fiscal responsibility
  • retain rural character
  • free dump
  • bug abatement
  • better utilization of public buildings
  • reduce noise pollution (airport, speedway)
  • town officials upholding citizens' desires
  • increase industrial base to decrease residential taxes
  • pave all of Route 114
  • bike paths and sidewalks along route 114 and 22 and Saco Street
  • that North Scarborough will stay as a rural setting
  • return of spring and fall cleanup
  • areas for recycling brush and other waste
  • road needs attention on Scarborough/Westbrook border (culverts, paving)
  • increase in church growth
  • return of oversize trash pickup
  • creation of sidewalks and bikepaths
  • Route 22/Route 114 bypass
  • nature preservation
  • improved highway maintenance
  • sidewalks or shoulders on roads and bikepaths
  • bus service
  • lower taxes
  • fairer treatment of North Scarborough property owners
  • public park for kids and other residents in this area
  • underground utilities
  • widen Route 114
  • that PACTS will solve the heavy traffic problems with an east-west turnpike through Westbrook
  • public water
  • that we can still afford to live here and pay the taxes

   

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• Fears for North Scarborough
  • over-development (too much like Portland)
  • over-population
  • more traffic
  • forest fires
  • heavy housing development
  • commercialsim in North Scarborough
  • too much traffic
  • too rapid growth and their associated costs
  • stress on services and increased taxes
  • pollution
  • "mall creep"
  • taxes
  • fears of North Scarborough growing too much
  • exploding taxes
  • traffic on 22 and 114
  • walk/bike paths on 114/22 because of heavy traffic
  • wildlife, where will it go?
  • business influx and commercial activity creeping into residential areas
  • North Scarborough has always been left out and left alone (this is good and bad, depending on the situation)
  • no street lights
  • high taxes
  • Gorham Road traffic (Routes 22 and 114)
  • no bike lanes and/or sidewalks
  • our neighborhood is not as important to the Town Council as the beach areas, or those areas that are more highly populated
  • fear of losing our rural character
  • destruction of Nonesuch River corridor
  • speeding on Beech Ridge Road
  • no public water
  • town bullies large landowners

   

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• Over-development in North Scarborough would hurt:

  • wildlife areas and wildlife corridors, especially along the Nonesuch

  • congestion- we have a problem now with our roads not being able to handle current traffic, what would happen with heavy residential development?

  • rural character would be disrupted by subdivisions and North Scarborough wouldn't be the same

  • town services could easily be overwhelmed, right now our school system is at its limit, new development would make the portables permanent

- back to top - Scarborough Special Places Participants identified their favorite places in Scarborough.  Responses ranged from the Black Point Inn in the east to the Salt and Pepper Shaker collection in the north-west, and from natural areas (Marsh, watersheds, open spaces) to business enterprises (Haigis Parkway, Industrial Park, Scarborough Downs, and Beech Ridge Speedway).  See map at right for complete list of special places.

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• Hopes for Scarborough's Future
  • more harmony and coordination among town departments (for example, more efficient use of the school buildings in off-hours, members of committees, public works, town council, etc)
  • continue to keep summerfest going each year (it is a great community gathering place)
  • hope the town would hold the line on taxes for senior citizens with fixed incomes
  • lower taxes
  • better schools and bus routes
  • better road maintenance
  • more bike paths
  • community projects and activities (teen center, senior center in one multi-generational building)
  • pool and community center with access cable room
  • limit housing developments
  • more industry to broaden the tax base
  • lower the tax rate
  • continue to listen to neighborhood forums like this one
  • when building, allow for future growth
  • Haigis Parkway with commercial development
  • community center
  • reinstate heavy item pickup
  • Dunstan Corner traffic
  • Route 22 and Route 114 traffic
  • unify Scarborough
  • town-wide sense of community
  • community center for everyone
  • controlled growth
  • proactive oversight of Scarborough Racetrack land