Developer Tony Casella said he wants Edgecomb residents and town boards to tell him what type of project they would like to see him build.

Casella's request stems from his concern about investing in site work and another possible land buy, if a project might not get approved.

He said he's already spent $50,000 on plans for a hotel off Route 1; those plans now face potential roadblocks in town approval for sewer access. He has about another 16 acres nearby under contract to purchase, in connection with his latest idea to build elderly housing; he is offering to set aside some of that land as a park for the town, he said in an interview January 17.

But before he puts tens of thousands of dollars into studies to meet town requirements, he wants to know what will fly with the town and what won't, he said.

Casella said he still wants the hotel, but if the town would support a zoning change to permit 32 units for the elderly housing, he would drop the hotel plans.

Earlier on the night of June 17, selectmen agreed to schedule a meeting to give Casella the input he's seeking. The meeting would include selectmen, the planning board and the town's ordinance review committee, Planning Board Chairman Jack French said.

No date was set for that meeting.

Casella wasn't at Monday's selectmen's meeting. French conveyed the developer's request by referring to an email Casella sent him June 14.

“I feel another meeting to set a project on the right track for Edgecomb can give the town what they want and save me a ton of money going in the wrong direction,” Casella wrote.

“I am not your average developer,” the email continued. “I do want what's best for all.”

In the interview later, Casella said he was encouraged by the selectmen's plans to schedule a meeting. He's confident there will be a solution that works for both him and the town, he said.

Susan Johns can be reached at 207-844-4633 or sjohns@wiscassetnewspaper.com.