Residents near the proposed Stepping Stones Housing project in Damariscotta brought up a variety of concerns at a public hearing before the Damariscotta Planning Board on Monday, Oct. 3. The newly revised project aimed at providing transitional housing for those who cannot afford to purchase a home or rent an apartment locally was reduced in scope from seven to five new units on a lot at the corner of Pleasant and Hodgdon streets. One rental unit is already in use.

The new units would be 700 square feet with two bedrooms, a bathroom and kitchen, said newly hired Executive Director Marilee A. Harris.

Board member Sari Sage asked Harris to give a maximum number of residents the six units could handle. Harris said that if totally occupied, the project could house 24 people, although she could not anticipate how many people might be in need of the units at any one time.

“My concern is for the people coming and how it will affect the community,” said resident Martha Scudder. “It is better than it was,” said Scudder of the revised plan.

Resident Jessica Sirois said she was concerned with the number of houses on the lot. “This property cannot handle six units,” said Sirois. She said the lot could not accommodate parking for as many as two cars per unit.

Sirois also aised the issue of who would available to settle tenant issues. Harris said she lived a quarter mile away and could be available quickly.

Board Chairman Jonathan Eaton said that with the change of plans, the board would start from the beginning in reviewing the project. “They will have to have a new site plan.” No date was set for a review.

In other business, the board got it is first look at a planned 39,000-square-foot medical office building for the Miles Memorial Hospital campus. The new building would consolidate office space and other functions and eventually eliminate four other units, according to designers. The building is planned to fit between the hospital and Schooner Cove residential buildings.

According to architect Charlie Rizza, the building would house medical offices on the second floor and a community meeting room and staff space on the ground level.

Selectman Robin Mayer questioned the possible need for expanded parking. Site planner Peter Siegel said no additional staffing is anticipated so that current parking should be sufficient.

If approved, construction could begin in spring 2017, take a year to complete and cost an estimated $13.7 million.

Architect Richard Burt explored what the board may require for the development of the former David Chapman property on Business Route 1 as Inn-Along-the-Way. Burt said the plan was to develop the farmhouse and adjacent building for senior functions and eventually add as many as 17 leased residential units on the 31-acre farmstead.

Eaton said the property might not require subdivision review.