A proposed senior living community in Pembroke has hit a wall.

The development, Riverside at Pembroke, would bring 100 two-bedroom homes for people over 55 to the intersection of Pembroke Road and Broadway Street.

The area is a medium-density residential neighborhood, however the three zoning variances developers requested from the Pembroke Zoning Board of Adjustment have all been denied, leaving the future of the project up in the air.

This is the third time developer Robert Meissner of the Londonderry-based company DHB Homes has brought forth a proposal for the 125 acres of land he purchased in the early 2000s.

His first proposal, back in 2003, included 192 units, the majority of which were single-family homes, along with some elderly-specific units and a number of townhouses. An incomplete application led to the project’s denial, and although Meissner appealed in court, the Planning Board’s decision was upheld.

He tried again in 2016 with a proposal for 115 single-family homes. No zoning changes would have been needed, and the Planning Board approved the proposal after considering numerous concerns, including traffic and infrastructure. However, Meissner withdrew the application after deferring multiple times over the course of two years.

His newest plan contained fewer homes and more green space, which he accomplished by clustering the homes together rather than seeking a traditional subdivision.

The project application states this would provide “a more suitable alternative” and offer “additional environmental benefits, such as reducing the total area of land disturbance and minimizing impacts to the wetlands.”

Of the 125 total acres, the project’s team estimated around 100 would remain untouched with the clustering plan, helping reduce the environmental impacts.

The three variances he sought would have allowed more than one principal structure on the property, reduced frontage and smaller distances between the homes.

While members of the Zoning Board acknowledged the work Meissner and his team did to address the town’s concerns from the previous proposal, they ultimately moved to deny the variances because they did not feel there was proof of hardship, one of the five criteria for granting a variance.

Their decision marked Meissner’s third unsuccessful proposal brought forth to the town in the past two and a half decades. As a property owner, Meissner has the legal right to build on his land, while in keeping with local zoning laws.

Resident opposition to the development has remained steady over the years, even with the project’s various iterations. A Zoning Board meeting in March and another in April garnered dozens of attendees who voiced concerns about everything from increased traffic and water capacity to yard views and property values.

Resident opposition to the development has remained steady over the years, even with the project’s various iterations. A Zoning Board meeting in March and another in April garnered dozens of attendees who voiced concerns about everything from increased traffic and water capacity to yard views and property values.