ORONO – After four hours of discussion Wednesday night, the planning board decided it still needed more information before granting preliminary approval for a 153-unit residential student development complex.

The public hearing on University Courtyard at Penobscot Commons will be continued at the next planning board meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 18.

Situated at the end of Colburn Drive, the 20.6-acre development proposed by Peregrine Developers of Rhode Island is expected to have 494 beds spread among one-, two- and four-bedroom apartments to be rented by undergraduate and graduate students as well as junior faculty.

With such a large number of tenants, residents and board members followed suit from previous meetings by voicing their concerns about traffic and parking.

Lambris Karris, the owner of two apartment complexes on Colburn Drive, said the size of the complexes would cause a major increase in traffic.

“Colburn Drive is going to become a highway,” Karris said.

The development is not expected to cause congestion, according to traffic engineer Diane Morabito of Casey and Godfrey Consulting Engineers. Referring to a four-hour traffic study taken on a weekday afternoon in April at the intersection of Route 2 and Colburn Drive, Morabito said the complex would generate roughly 151 one-way car trips during the peak hour between 4:45 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.

The increase in traffic counts is not enough to significantly affect the amount of time it takes to turn on to Colburn Drive or Route 2, Morabito said.

Board member August Desiervo believed the traffic study should have included a look at morning traffic because more cars are likely to be on the road.

“I think the more applicable thing would be what happens at 7 to 8 a.m. when students are going to class,” Desiervo said.

Guest parking was another hot topic, as the proposed complex wouldn’t even have a parking space for each bed.

Based on a study of other similar facilities built by the developer, the 466 spaces should be more than adequate, according to Robert Frank of WBRC Architects. Frank said residents use an average of 366 spaces at these complexes.

“At any given time, 20 percent of the parking spaces would be expected to be available for guests,” Frank said.

In addition to requesting a second traffic study that includes the Rangeley Road and Route 2 intersection, board members asked the developers to work out the details of the emergency access road proposed for the southern corner of the development. Board members also asked the developers to coordinate the site plans from the previous four meetings onto a single plan.