Standish Appeals Board Grants Special Exception for Water District Chemical Storage Building

The Standish Zoning Board of Appeals voted 4-0 on September 21, 2026 to grant a special exception to the Portland Water District for a new chemical storage building at its Sebago Lake water treatment facility on White Rock Road. The board approved all seven required criteria, with one member abstaining on the waste disposal criterion because no plan was in front of the board. The project now moves to the planning board.

Key points

• The Portland Water District sought to build a 6,400 square foot chemical storage facility within its existing treatment plant property in the rural residential zone.
• The board approved criteria 1 through 4 and criteria 6 and 7 unanimously, with no public comment offered in opposition.
• On criterion 5, covering waste disposal systems, one member declined to vote yes because no plan was before the board; the motion still passed 3-0.
• Applicant representatives said the new building would replace aging tanks, improve safety, and position the district to potentially convert from aqueous ammonia to liquid ammonium sulfate.
• Board member Scott Bickford disclosed that he had worked for the Portland Water District for three summers; the chair said it did not constitute a conflict.
• Only four of five board members were present, so at least three votes were needed on each criterion.

Next steps

• The board will prepare written findings of fact and conclusions of law, to be delivered to the applicant within seven days of the vote.
• The applicant will work with the code enforcement officer on next steps before the project goes to the planning board.
• Anyone wishing to appeal the decision must do so to superior court within 45 days.

Read the full transcript