BELFAST – If all goes according to schedule, work on the conversion of the former Stinson Seafoods canning plant should begin within a few weeks.

The Belfast City Council is conducting a final review of the proposed $12 million commercial-residential-marina complex and should wrap up its work early next week. The council will continue its review on Wednesday, Aug. 31, and has set Sept. 6 as the date for a formal vote on the proposal.

Project developers Tom Roberts and Burleigh Hutchins said that should the council grant the required permit, they intend to start dismantling the interior of some of the Stinson buildings within days of that final approval.

“We want to get in there right away,” Roberts said Thursday.

The developers have been working on the Old Belfast Bridge project for more than a year and have attended numerous public hearings and informational meetings with the various city regulatory boards required to review the project.

Before reaching the council, the project first had to undergo the scrutiny of the comprehensive plan committee, intown design review committee, harbor committee and planning board. The formal review process began a year ago. The project came before the council last week.

“We’ve had some very productive meetings,” Roberts said. “It looks like things are going well at this point.”

Because the city’s waterfront zoning regulations dealt largely with industrial uses, there were no provisions for the type of development envisioned by Roberts and Hutchins. To counter that, the council established a contract rezoning process for the proposal. Under the process, the developers enter into a legally binding contract that will dictate the project’s design and building requirements.

Besides the contract rezoning agreement between the developer and the council, the project must also obtain a number of state and federal permits dealing with marine construction and traffic movement.

The project consists of four separate buildings that either will be renovated or built in four phases. It also calls for a marina with floats and docks, boat storage, building and repair facilities

Building One calls for construction of up to 10 residential units with condominium ownership in a new structure built atop the former packing plant. A restaurant, office or service business can be added to the main floor of the building, provided the restaurant and support facilities are not greater than 3,000 square feet. The building’s ground floor is in a flood plain and can be used only for temporary activities, such as food vendors and product display.

Building Two involves the renovation of an existing structure into private garage area, storage and short-term use space on the first floor. The second floor will house four residences and facilities for marina users. The residences will be for use by persons who have an ownership interest in the Old Belfast Bridge project and cannot be rented or leased to the general public.

Building Three consists of replacing an existing structure with a complex of six buildings connected by a series of decks. The bottom floor of each structure will be used for parking, storage and waste disposal. The next floor will be for retail, professional office or service space. The top floor is earmarked for seven residential units.

Building Four calls for renovation of an existing warehouse that can be used for the repair, building and storage of boats and activities related to the boat-marina operation. The developers are holding discussions with Wayfarer Marine of Camden to operate the marina. The city, which owns acreage adjacent to the project site, is also negotiating with Wayfarer Marine.

Among the public amenities included in the project are improvements to the intersection of Front Street and Pierce Street opposite the footbridge, public restrooms for boaters and pedestrians, a walking path connecting the public landing to the footbridge, and construction of docks to be used by the city’s commercial fishermen. The walking path will be along the Belfast & Moosehead Railroad corridor that bisects the site.

Under the terms of the contract, the developers must comply with all conditions before any building can receive an occupancy permit. In addition, the developers must establish an escrow account or provide the city with an irrevocable letter of credit for all work before occupancy permits are issued.