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Special town meeting approves TIF for senior living center

3 mins read
Moderator Paul Mills takes those attending the special town meeting through the single article of the warrant.
Moderator Paul Mills takes those attending the special town meeting through the single article of the warrant.

FARMINGTON – Residents unanimously approved a 10-year tax increment financing agreement for a memory care facility at a special town meeting Tuesday evening. That facility will be constructed on the Knowlton Corner Road in the next year.

Woodlands Senior Living has proposed the construction of a 20,000 square foot facility at 175 Knowlton Corner Road. It would consist of 36 beds, specializing in the care of those with Alzheimer’s and other memory impairments. The facility would be the 12th operated by the company, with other locations in Waterville, Rockland, Cape Elizabeth, Hallowell, Brewer and Lewiston.

The T-shaped center would include 12 private rooms and 12 double rooms with 24 MaineCare subsidized beds available, a central courtyard and central common areas such as an activity room, kitchen, TV room and reading room. The $4 million center is expected to employ 30 full-time employees and a couple of part-time employees.

Woodlands co-owners Lon and Matthew Walters approached the town to propose a TIF agreement to help defray the costs of site development. Those costs, which include running a cross-country sewer line and installing a booster pump station are expected to exceed $1 million. By comparison, Matthew Walters said, a Lewiston project twice the size of the Farmington development required $200,000 to develop the site.

The TIF’s Credit Enhancement Agreement would return 100 percent of taxable income on new valuation to Woodlands Senior Living for 10 years, from 2017 to 2026. Assuming the tax rate and assessed value remain unchanged, the agreement would return $752,000 to the company over 10 years.

The agreement would hold the property at its current valuation of $118,000, as far as the state is concerned, and additional development would therefore not factor into the town’s valuation. Because the development’s state valuation would not show an increase, the state’s aid to education and municipal sharing will not be reduced and Farmington’s share of the county assessment would not be increased as a result of the new value. The total savings to the town over the 10-year period are estimated at $680,948, assuming the education, county tax and state revenue sharing calculations don’t change.

Selectman Stephan Bunker spoke in favor of the facility, saying that it would eventually provide tax revenue, employment opportunities and a much-needed service for the community. According to previous statements by the developers, there are approximately 29,000 people suffering from dementia in the state with about 1,000 in Franklin County.

“This is one of the more exciting prospects to come along in my 20-plus years on the board,” Bunker said.

The approximately 20 residents in attendance asked a few clarifying questions about the project, but there were no ‘nay’ votes when moderator Paul Mills called for the vote.

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2 Comments

  1. Very excited to hear this is coming to our town. It is much needed now and this need will increase as the baby boomers age. Good news for sure.

  2. Why that location? Aren’t there already many sites available along the water and sewer services?

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