BIDDEFORD — A referendum question regarding building a parking garage in Biddeford’s mill district was tabled Tuesday by the city council.
A significant majority of the dozen residents who spoke on the issue were in favor of the referendum, and most said they were against the garage.
City councilors said it was premature to discuss a referendum.
The parking garage, as proposed, would contain approximately 500 parking spaces and cost about $12.65 million. It would be located on land acquired by the city from mill developer Doug Sanford’s Pepperell Mill Campus. The garage would be paid for, not through property taxes, but through funds from a Tax Increment Financing district, which is to be used for downtown and mill district infrastructure improvements. Metered parking would also be instituted in the downtown, with proceeds going toward the garage.
None of these elements have been finalized, however, said Councilor Richard Rhames. Until the council has the answers, he said, it is too early to discuss placing a referendum on the issue on the November ballot.
In addition, city attorney Keith Jacques said the referendum question as it was worded is problematic. The proposed referendum question stated, “Do you favor using public funds and/or TIF (Tax Increment Financing) for the development/construction of a parking garage in the Mill District of downtown Biddeford?”
The wording is “broad and vague,” said Jacques, and would prevent the city from pursuing any parking garages in the future ”“ even a self-funded garage.
Resident Paul Therrien, who suggested the wording of the referendum, said he thought the wording was direct. In speaking in favor of the referendum, he said, “To bypass us (the public), to keep us out of the loop in this very important issue, just doesn’t taste good.”
In speaking in favor of the referendum, residents stated a number of objections to the parking garage proposal.
“Let the people who own the mills pay for a parking garage,” said resident Ray Gagnon.
Some objected to metered parking in the downtown.
“Putting meters in the downtown is suicide,” said resident Howard Hanson.
Resident and owner of the downtown Wonderbar restaurant Vincent Keely said parking is needed in the downtown, but not a parking garage costing millions of dollars.
“We can’t afford it,” said resident and former Mayor Joanne Twomey. She said the city should invest more in mass transit and veer away from a car culture.
Resident Katie Grose was virtually alone in speaking in favor of a parking garage.
“A way to ensure my taxes don’t go up is to ensure economic development goes up,” she said.
The garage will spur growth in the downtown and the mill district, said Grose, and the mills “will once again have the opportunity to be an engine for development.”
Many said they were against a parking garage because they feared the cost would be born by city taxpayers.
Mayor Alan Casavant passed his gavel to address those in attendance so he could stress that those using the garage would pay for it, not taxpayers.
“If there was even a possibility the price tag of the garage would fall onto the mil rate, this council would not be for it,” he said. “If there was a strong possibility that the cost of the garage, in the future, would be added onto the mil rate, this council would not be for it. If the garage were designed to benefit only one entity or person, this council would not be for it.”
Councilor Michael Swanton said although he wasn’t completely on board with the parking garage, he thought there was a lot of misinformation about the issue in the public. He said he wanted more answers before he could make up his mind or consider a referendum.
City Council President Rick Laverriere said he was against the referendum.
“I don’t want to bind the city’s hands,” he said.
Councilor Michael Ready said he was concerned that the referendum question had no relation to the parking garage proposal being considered.
Several councilors said that the referendum was premature because there was no firm proposal. They said it was unfortunate that they haven’t been able to tell the public more because the nature of the discussions regarding contracts and financing requires them to talk behind closed doors in executive session.
After voting to table the motion, the council entered another executive session to discuss the parking garage further.
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.
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