The property, located at the corner of Mason Road and Old Mill Parkway, currently contains waist-high grass, several drainage swales, two shopping carts and what city records describe as “miscellaneous debris.”
Until Tuesday, most residents referred to it as “that empty lot by the bank.”
That changed quickly.
“This land is part of the fabric of our community,” said nearby resident Cheryl Donahue during a packed planning commission meeting. “You can’t just replace something like this.”
Asked what currently happens on the property, Donahue said, “That’s not the point.”
The proposed development would include apartments, townhomes, retail space, sidewalks and a small public plaza.
Developer representatives said the project was designed to add housing and neighborhood-serving businesses to an underused parcel already designated for growth in the city’s comprehensive plan.
Residents responded by launching a campaign titled Save the Mason Road Green Space.
City planning staff clarified that the property has never been designated as green space.
“It’s privately owned vacant land,” said Planning Director Rebecca Sloan.
Several residents objected to that characterization.
“It may be vacant on paper,” said resident Thomas Greer. “But people see it every day.”
Greer said he has personally driven past the property nearly twice a week for 11 years.
“That kind of connection matters,” he said.
Within 24 hours of the proposal becoming public, residents had created a Facebook group, designed yard signs and begun circulating a petition calling for the preservation of what the petition describes as “one of Westbrook’s last remaining open spaces.”
The city identified 417 other acres of undeveloped land within two miles.
“That’s different,” Donahue said.
The lot’s newly discovered cultural significance has surprised several longtime officials.
Economic Development Director Natalie Cross said the property has appeared on redevelopment maps for years with almost no public comment.
“We’ve shown it as a future development opportunity in presentations since at least 2016,” Cross said. “No one ever mentioned loving it.”
One resident disputed that claim.
“I think people loved it quietly,” she said.
The proposed project would preserve nearly two acres as landscaped open space and add walking paths throughout the development.
Residents said this would not adequately replace the existing experience.
“What we have now is natural,” Greer said.
A consultant later identified most of the site vegetation as invasive grasses.
“That doesn’t make it less natural,” Greer replied.
Traffic has also emerged as a concern.
Residents warned that new housing and retail could increase vehicle trips along Mason Road.
Several speakers said the intersection was already too congested.
City traffic data shows average daily volumes remain below roadway capacity.
Residents said the numbers fail to capture what happens “around 5:15.”
Housing concerns have created additional tension.
Westbrook’s strategic plan identifies housing supply as a major challenge, particularly for teachers, healthcare workers and young professionals.
Many residents attending the hearing agreed that more housing is needed.
They simply questioned whether the 11-acre parcel should be used for it.
“We absolutely need housing,” Donahue said. “Just not right here.”
Asked where additional housing should go, she suggested “areas better suited for development.”
City planners asked for examples.
No specific parcels were identified.
The lot has also acquired several recreational uses since the development application was filed.
One resident said children occasionally ride bicycles near the edge of the property.
Another said people walk dogs beside it.
A third recalled seeing a family take photographs there once in 2021.
“That tells you this is more than just a vacant parcel,” Greer said.
The property owner, who has paid taxes on the land since 1998, said he was surprised to learn the community considered it public open space.
“I’ve been mowing parts of it for 25 years,” owner William Hart said. “Nobody ever thanked me for the park.”
Hart said he decided to sell after receiving repeated inquiries from developers.
Residents accused him of prioritizing financial gain.
Hart confirmed that was a significant factor.
“I own it,” he said.
Local officials say the proposal will continue through the normal public review process.
The developer has already offered to reduce building heights near adjacent neighborhoods, increase landscaping and expand the public plaza.
Opponents said the changes do not address the fundamental issue.
“We’re losing something we can never get back,” Donahue said.
Asked what specifically would be lost, she looked across the field for several seconds.
“The openness.”
At press time, Westbrook residents were organizing a weekend gathering to celebrate the vacant lot’s importance to the community.
It will be the first known organized event ever held there.
