The Boothbay Planning Board worked overtime March 16 as it took three hours and fifty-eight minutes in approving two building permits and hearing the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens future expansion plans.

The board voted 3-0 to approve a conditional building permit for the Boothbay Harbor Country Club’s Phase Two expansion project. The developer is required to include the Howard House Motel and the Reed family residence within the pre-blasting survey and receive Department of Environmental Protection permits.

Knickerbocker Group Project Manager Danielle Betts represented PGC 1 and PGC 2; they applied for the permit to construct a 62-by 64-foot fitness center, swimming pool and two tennis courts. PGC 1 and PGC 2 are business entities owned by Paul Coulombe of Southport.

Betts reported Phase One which is the construction of the new 32,000-square-foot golf clubhouse and course renovations that are expected to be completed this spring. Several Common Drive residents attended the public hearing hoping to avoid problems experienced during last year’s construction project.

The residents complained blasting disrupted their lives. Several complained the blasting shook their homes. Howard House Motel owner James Farrin reported the constant blasting also hurt his business.

“Our motel and house shook every day of the blasting and it went on for months,” Farrin said. “It was a daily occurrence. It upset our guests which made running a business difficult.”

The blasting is required to remove ledge base on the property, according to Betts. She described the blasting for Phase Two as significant, but it wouldn’t last as long as last year.

The developer is required by law to interview anyone who lives within 500 feet of the blasting and notify others within 2,000 feet. One Common Drive resident said the blasting didn’t damage her home, but it left a crack in her garage floor.

Betts assured neighbors the developer would work with them to mitigate the inconvenience.

“This is a smaller project. If anyone wants to be added to the pre-blasting survey, let me know,” she said.

The blasting begins April 15 and ends July 4. The project’s completion date is set for spring 2017, according to Betts.

The planning board approved the application after determining the developer had met all the requirements pending DEP approval.

“To me they’ve done everything they’re required to do so I think we should move forward,” said alternate Planning Board member Melinda Browne.

Bigelow Laboratories had an easier time receiving planning board approval. Architect Austin Smith represented Bigelow Laboratories, which proposed building a new 32-bed student and visiting scientist residence. The complex includes four visitors’ apartments on the laboratory’s East Boothbay campus. The 15,000-square-foot dormitory residence will overlook the Damariscotta River and will be a short walk from the main laboratory building and its shore facility.

The Harold Alfond Foundation recently awarded the laboratory $3.1 million to construct the residence hall. The hall will make it possible for the laboratory to expand its educational and professional development programs.

According to Smith, the project begins in April and completion is expected next spring.

In other action, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens outlined its future expansion plans. Executive Director Bill Cullina explained that five years ago officials began rethinking the facility’s master plan. The grounds have more than doubled in size since 2004 and visitors have increased from 45,000 to 145,000.

CMGB officials are looking to expand the facility by adding more parking, replacing the visitor center with a new, larger one, and doubling the gardens’ size by 2020.

“This is part of making the region a year round destination,” Cullina said. “Looking forward, in 10 years, we forecast 190 people on staff which will create 738 more employees indirectly in the region generating $77 million for the local economy.”

Part of CMBG’s plans include creating more parking space near Gaecklein Road bordering Vaughn Anthony’s property. Anthony and his son, Kevin, both own property near the gardens. Both cited concerns about the additional parking near their property. Kevin Anthony feared 1,000 more parking spaces near the Gaecklein Road

“The lights, noise, car alarms at all hours of the day are a real concern to us,” said Kevin Anthony. “It impacts my father more. He has about 1,500 feet bordering the property. And it may reduce his property value by as much as $150,000. I don’t know why they want the additional parking there. There are several significant vernal pools so I think a better parking location is near the current entrance.”

Cullina’s presentation and question and answer period with the Anthonys’ lasted 75 minutes. The two parties agreed to continue discussing the plans in the future.

The planning board will meet next at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 20 in the municipal building.