BREWER – City councilors will address a number of matters, many directly relating to economic development, during their monthly meeting at 6:30 tonight at City Hall.

In a departure from tradition, city councilors will consider accepting a proposed access road off outer Wilson Street that will serve traffic heading to the city’s recently established corporate center, the bulk of which is being eyed as the future home of Eastern Maine Healthcare’s 72-acre health care campus.

The access road into the professional park would connect to another proposed road, this one running parallel to Wilson Street, across Green Point Road and on to Parkway South, cutting across parcels owned by others and opening the back portions of those lots to development.

Traditionally, cities and towns accept roads and streets after determining that they have been built to municipal specifications. In the case of this particular road, however, officials’ plans appear to have been prompted, in large part, by concerns raised by neighboring landowners and the city’s desire to allay those concerns.

During a Planning Board meeting last week, attorneys representing Hilltop Inn Inc. and BEV Inc. argued that approving EMH’s location for the curb cut, or road opening, would render the curb cut serving their clients’ land obsolete and cause those properties to be “landlocked.” Only one of the entrances would be permitted under city and state traffic safety guidelines.

The driveway, according to EMH and city officials, will be turned over to the city as a public way and will be part of a lighted intersection. The proposed access point – deemed by EMH consultants as the safest and least likely to conflict with existing driveways – is across the street from the Agway store.

The curb cut’s exact placement still is subject to final approval by the Maine Department of Transportation. EMH has filed the necessary state applications and hopes to begin earthwork and road construction this spring and construction of buildings this fall.

In related business, councilors will consider a proposal to rezone the rear portion of adjacent parcels owned by EMH and the Brewer Economic Development Corp. from low-density residential to general business.

Officials also will decide a council order authorizing City Manager Stephen Bost and Economic Development Director Drew Sachs to explore wetland banking and other mitigation measures that might enhance development potential for land along the Wilson Street corridor, an area that residents identified as a primary site for future development.

According to city documents, the area consists of a mix of upland areas ready for immediate development and primarily low-value wetlands that impede such development over long stretches.

The rezoning proposal was the subject of a joint hearing of the council and the Planning Board and City Council last week. After the hearing, the Planning Board members unanimously agreed to recommend approval to the council. The council is slated to make its decision tonight.

EMH representatives said last week that rezoning the land from low-density residential to general business is an interim step. Ultimately, EMH will seek a contract convenience business zoning designation, which hospital officials believe best reflects the intended uses of the land there.

Other matters on tonight’s agenda include proposed amendments to tax-increment financing agreements with Brewer Automotive Components and CMJ Inc., a discussion about farmer’s markets and a series of reappointments, those of the harbormaster and constables among them.