The Windham Planning Board held off on approval of a two-story public safety building, which would be located behind the Windham Mall and Hannaford, and used by the Windham Police and Fire departments, as well as the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.

The building will be built on a 5-acre plot between Franklin and Veterans Memorial drives. It was approved for purchase by the Town Council at the end of 2024. The building will include offices, bunks, and five apparatus bays, with an access drive, 40 parking spaces, utilities, sidewalks, landscaping, and stormwater management improvements.

Tanner Goodine, a construction inspector with Sebago Technics, representing the town, spoke on behalf of the project. He was joined by Andy Kosusko, of Great Falls Construction, who served as construction manager and team manager, and Justin Boucher, of Invivid Architecture. Goodine said the project was voted through referendum at the June 2025 town meeting, with residents authorizing $6.5 million for the project. The developers of the project later submitted for a major site law amendment, went before the planning board for a sketch plan application in April, and held a site walk on July 20.

One of the most important conditions for the project’s approval was an amendment to the Windham Mall subdivision. An application for the amendment will be heard at a later planning board meeting.

Although the hearing on the public safety building was listed in the agenda as a “final plan review,” board members noted that several elements seemed to be in flux.

Planning board Chair Marge Govoni said she had a conversation with the developers during the site walk about changes regarding handicapped parking, but didn’t notice any changes in the plan presented to the board. Goodine said the developers were unable to make the amendment in time for the planning board meeting.

There were also questions on how the parking area for the public safety building would be distinguished from the back parking lot for the nearby commercial buildings. Answering a question from board member Kathleen Brown, Goodine said the public safety’s rear parking lot, which will border the mall parking lot, will primarily be employees-only parking, and although public circulation through the lot will not be forbidden, members of the public are encouraged to use the Franklin Drive entrance. Easements for travel and parking through the property will be configured through the upcoming subdivision, though the developers have a temporary construction and access easement for part of the property.

The developers are planning to stripe the area between the apparatus bay and the rear parking lot as a prohibitive entrance, but there would be no physical barriers. Planning Director Stephen Puleo said there would be signs indicating the area was for authorized personnel only.

The board agreed there were several issues with the plan that were not finalized and, after an initial motion finding the project was complete in regard to submission requirements, saw Brown vote against it due to the lack of a subdivision application. The board moved to postpone the approval of the project until the Windham Mall subdivision amendment is presented at a future meeting.