WESTBROOK – A petition to prevent development at Saccarappa Park without voter approval has failed to muster enough votes.
James Tranchemontagne, owner of Westbrook’s Frog & Turtle restaurant, took the lead on the effort about a month ago. The initiative, which he called “Save Saccarappa Park,” was launched to gather the required 1,216 signatures to force a City Council decision on whether to send the question to voters in June.
Tranchemontagne called the petition a “pre-emptive” move to preserve green space downtown and allow Westbrook voters to decide the fate of the park. He said that during the last few years, city officials have shown interest in exploring development options for the 1.34-acre, city-owned property.
On Tuesday, Tranchemontagne said, the group of 13 turned in their signatures, but failed to reach the required threshold of 1,216 signers, which is 10 percent of the voter turnout from the most recent election.
“We turned everything in today. We will miss the mark but still plan to ask the council to move it forward,” he said.
According to Tranchemontagne, the group turned in 610 signatures, which have not been verified.
He added that if the council doesn’t decide to discuss the petition, his group will keep trying.
“If they don’t (move it forward) we will redo the petition and be at the polls in June for signatures,” he said.
Proponents of keeping the park believe that, although small, it is an asset for the city, and provides necessary downtown green space, complete with the best views of Saccarappa Falls.
Tranchemontagne has previously organized small concerts in the park, and more recently hosted the Winter West Festival’s snow sculpture contest.
Bill Baker, the assistant city administrator for business and community relations, said Tuesday that there is no proposal to develop the park, but that there is also roughly 156 acres of public and private green space in the city’s “urban core,” which makes Westbrook unique.
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