It's been clear sailing so far for developer Tony Casella and his proposed office building in Edgecomb. However, members of the town's planning board have made it clear their waivers on some town requirements apply only to the office building, not to Casella's anticipated restaurant or anything else he may seek to build on the Route 1 lot.

On October 4, the board determined Casella's plan for the Route 1 office building site was complete. They set a public hearing on the proposal for October 18 at town hall, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Depending on how that goes, the board could make a final decision the same night or call for changes to the plan.

The project needs the board's approval in order for the code enforcement officer to issue a building permit. Once Casella has one, he plans to start work immediately and complete the building within 45 days.

However, what happens after that was already on planning board members' minds. Casella, a partner in View Development, has said the corporation plans to add a restaurant on the property next and possibly a hotel or other project later. View Development will manage their condominium rental business out of the office building, Casella has said.

The board agreed the office building plan doesn't need a formal boundary survey. When the 10-acre site was multiple lots, the property lines were defined “ad nauseum,” View Development's consultant Karl Olson told the board.

Olson also convinced the board it doesn't need to know more about soils, the water supply, waste water disposal, or storm water drainage. But at various points board members emphasized that possible future projects on the same site would be a separate issue.

Susan Johns can be reached at 844-4633 or sjohns@wiscassetnewspaper.com.