HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-09-20 Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Minutes
Transportation & Infrastructure Committee
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Minutes
Councilors Attending: Geoffrey Gratwick, Susan Hawes, Councilor Farrington
Staff Attending: Ed Barrett, Jim Ring, Norm Heitmann, Rebecca Hupp, Sally
Bates
Others Attending: Matt Brankd, Tom Brand, Connie Russell, Other Citizens
Committee convened at 5:00 p.m.
1. Bangor International Airport Domestic Passenger Statistics
Rebecca Hupp states passenger traffic is up 7% year to date, 9% for the month
of August. This being the second best August on record, the best being in 1997.
BIA’s sixth consecutive month of growth. She also points out three of the five
carriers are in bankruptcy. But bankruptcy is a tool for reorganization. The
airport will continue to monitor changes, if there are any market opportunities
that develop or changes in the market, they will be prepared for that and react
quickly.
Ed Barrett states he recently received a newsletter from a company that tracks
passengers nationally and internationally. Their statistics for August showed
passengers were up .7 tenths of a percent for domestic, 1.7% for international.
Overall in August about 1%.
Councilor Farrington comments that he continues to be very pleased but doesn’t
see how we can continue to keep going with fuel prices going up. Yet there’s
been a steady flow. Requesting a synopsis from Rebecca.
Rebecca Hupp states an increase in capacity and additional service has been very
helpful. There is more capacity now then than in the mid 90’s.
Jim Ring comments about the jet capacity vs. turbo. Jet capacity 99%, turbo
1%. Jet capacity utilized was 67% overall, but turbo is only 28%; does that
suggest that the remaining turbo flight may not continue with such a low
utilization rate.
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Rebecca states that those are year to date and are misleading. Currently 100%
of the market is on jet. Turbo flight has been replaced by jet flight.
Ed Barrett comments that although there are bankruptcies going on the threat is
not to service that we provide but to route restructuring and reductions. We
may continue to have relatively good services, while the connections may not be
as good.
Councilor Gratwick asks Rebecca if these numbers include the military.
Rebecca Hupp states these only reflect domestic and do not include international
transit, which is the military. The military are considered transfer passengers,
whose numbers were about 60,000 which are in addition to these numbers.
Councilor Gratwick asks what’s on the horizon for security, where the parking
garage is going. How can the Committee assist for the best feedback?
Rebecca Hupp comments on the budget process, capital projects, marketing
incentive program, fire sprinkler system, future RFP requests for an advertising
agency. Those are some areas in which Council input is appropriate.
Councilor Gratwick requests information on future projects to allow the
Committee to collect data.
Ed Barrett requests Rebecca to provide a briefing on the capital projects at the
next meeting or meeting thereafter.
Councilor Gratwick suggests the resurfacing, departure gate 5, international
arrivals.
Councilor Farrrington requests Rebecca to provide update on money owed and
the collection.
2. Request for Lease Parking Spaces in Haynes Court Parking Lot-Club Gemini
Norm Heitmann asks the Committee to recall that this all generated from noise
complaints in that general area that also included Benjamin’s. The owners have
been pursuing alternatives to reducing the noise level, as well as the City’s
dealing with the parking lot and loitering after 10:00 p.m. One of the problems
they have are smokers who have to go outside. One possible solution is to build
and enclosed structure that does not have a solid roof. The idea is to have a
wall to reduce the noise in the neighborhood and on Court Street.
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Councilor Gratwick requests clarification on the map of the five parking spaces in
question.
Norm Heitmann indicates from the corner of the building. They went before the
Government Operations Committee, last week and mentioned one of the things
they were hoping to do is to take care of the issue outdoors with the smokers.
But they have been concentrating their money on the noise abatement and this
will be additional sound abatement money in addition to money needed for
coming up with a plan to do that. They would like some idea from the council if
this would be a project the Council would be supportive of. The Government
Operations Committee wanted to move it forward for the next Council meeting.
The Government Ops doesn’t have the jurisdiction for this, but B&ED and TIC
does, TIC being sooner. In anticipation of preparing a document agreement to
present to the Council, he sought the assistance of Code and Planning to see
what issues we would be looking at. As well as Sally Bates and her department
apprised of what’s going on because they are responsible for parking. There is a
memo from Parke Clemens from Republic Parking, as they manage the parking
lot noting their concerns. Don Winslow notified the people at Franklin Place,
some are in attendance as well as Sally. The feedback from Code and Planning
creates a bigger issue. The building is pretty much the entire footprint of the
property. The building is zoned USD, the parking lot is zoned G&ISD. The
requirements are not met because the building fills the land; they are grand-
fathered for setbacks. Rezoning to USD wouldn’t help according to Planning
because the maximum lot coverage is 30%, that building covers virtually 100%.
Which is grandfathered as a non-conforming building, but you can’t expand non-
conformings, once you’ve exceeded that 30% you can’t go any more. Which
may leave us with DDD and haven’t heard back from Planning to know if it
creates other problems. In addition, if and when rezoning were to happen they
would need to come in with a site plan. This issue will have to be taken care of
with a zone change and done with minimal impact on parking downtown. Sally
will respond to the parking and Mr. Clemens memo.
Councilor Farrington states the first thing that comes to mind is the Downtown
Development District. And asks if this area needs to be expanded to include
Benjamin’s, Franklin Place.
Ed Barrett states they are already in the DDD. And that you could be in the DDD
and not be zoned DDD. The tax district has a se t defined geographical
boundary, within that you could have a variety of zoning.
Councilor Gratwick requests definition of DDD.
The most advantageous part of DDD is there aren’t any setbacks; you can build
to the lot lines. If it were DDD before the nightclub went there they would have
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to get approval through the Planning Board because it would be a conditional
use. They would have to meet certain requirements, including a noise level.
Those requirements they can’t meet due to the current structure, they would be
grandfathered in.
Councilor Gratwick asks what civic good is being served by having DDD.
Ed Barrett states the general purpose of the Downtown Development District is
to recognize the traditional pattern of downtown core areas, very intense
development with buildings that go right to the property line and along the
sidewalk. Mixed uses are allowed.
Sally Bates states that in the Government Operations meeting several weeks ago
she expressed her concern with eliminating parking spaces because it is a scarce
resource and can’t be expanded without spending a fair amount of money. With
EMDC and the Chancellor’s office moving downtown will put a strain on the
inventory of parking spaces in the downtown area. The role of the Parking
Advisory Committee is to find parking space. This situation is slightly different in
that it is to permanently eliminate five spaces because of a noise problem. And
suggest the decision be referred to the Downtown Parking Advisory Committee.
Councilor Farrington notes this is a noise problem as well as parking, and is it the
role of the Parking Committee to make a judgement on the overall problem. The
responsibility is probably the Council’s through this Committee and invites
discussion.
Sally Bates states she was not recommending the Committee look at the problem
of noise but a s a policy point of view is it a good practice to lease spaces to
anyone, because the business didn’t identify the noise issue before it opened it’s
business. And is it appropriate to reduce inventory because of a noise problem
that could be alleviated by other methods.
Ed Barrett states certainly the Parking Committee could take a look at it and
would suspect what the recommendation would be. If it did go to the
Committee it would have to go back to the City Council, which may have a
different perspective and have to weigh noise, parking, value issues and all other
issues involved. As parking demand increases, we’re looking at approximately
$14,000.00 per space to be replaced in structured parking. And that on a
relatively close horizon we’ll be facing parking demand downtown will exceed
supply.
Jim Ring asks what is the minimum size needed to meet the needs and in
dimension how far back from the building? Which is information that is needed
in the future.
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Councilor Gratwick raises the cost that will be paid for each space to do this and
requests the Parking Committee to consider the issues. Also asks Sally what re-
striping would do and would it help.
Sally Bates state she and Jim Ring did evaluate the location and determined that
there could be additional spots added.
Councilor Gratwick suggests that should be part of the next Agenda.
Jim Ring states that was the basis for his prior question. It will make a
difference if it’s a little bit of a distance as opposed to a full space there may be
an opportunity. If it’s the full space, part of the consideration would be loss of
parking.
Matt Branc, Co-Owner of Club Gemini expresses that this is not a private
business just requesting the spaces. This is from addressing problems due to
residents in the area. The business wouldn’t be doing it except that they’re
trying to work with the city and residents to improve it. There are issues they
are addressing which is the base music, the other is people outside smoking, and
a que line of people waiting to get inside. The addition of the building reduces
people from hanging outside and less in the parking lot. The addition would
probably take up a depth of the spaces, thus they are asking for the entire depth
and length of the building, which they don’t have the dimensions. They are
working with two Engineering firms, one in Brewer and the other from Boston,
who are experts in acoustics, and are drawing up plans on the dimensions, etc.
Based on time spent in the Lower Abbott lot, the back is not really used during
the daytime, which he has a collection of photos showing it rarely has more than
six or seven cars in the area.
Sally Bates responds on the utilization of the parking lot. There are certainly
more than a half a dozen cars in the lower parking lot. It may see it is not a
heavily used lot, but what’s coming here very shortly is going to place more a
demand on that lot, perhaps in weeks. And suggests that dynamics can change
with the parking need depending on who is there in those buildings.
Tom Brand, part owner of the building states half of the proposed building is in
the loading dock area and doesn’t involve parking spaces. And points out there
are ten parking spaces out front that do not have signage where the public
generally utilized more than the ones in back. There may be five parking places,
but at the present time they are providing ten free parking places to the City that
the public uses at will.
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Councilor Gratwick queries the parking spaces in front, are used by the upstairs
tenants.
Tom Brand states they use them from about 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., their main
use four days a week.
Councilor Gratwick invites spokespersons for Franklin Place to comment. Asks
the Committee and Staff to think about the next appropriate steps.
Connie Russell, President of the Board of Franklin Place states she is the one the
complaints go to at 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. She states that things are better,
thanks to the City’s assistance, the Police Department, and the Brands trying to
accommodate. The noise problem has come from both areas. The new
Benjamin’s owners addressed the congestion and noise issue by building a patio
out back for smokers. Suggests some arrangement could be made to confine
the smokers to one place, perhaps it would reduce some of the wild congestion
in the parking lot. Also noting the law passed regarding loitering, which would
seem hard to define when they’re smoking if they are smoking or loitering.
Suggested also confining the smokers would reduce the noise and chaos in the
parking lot.
Councilor Gratwick asks Connie Russell if the base music, etc. from Benjamin’s is
disruptive.
Connie Russell states there are no complaints. The owner approached her
regarding her concerns and complaints, identified them and resolved them. And
states his intention was to contain all the smoking. Occasionally she does hear
people at 2:00 a.m. when people are leaving, but they are very friendly and non-
disruptive.
Councilor Gratwick asks Connie Russell if the problem at Club Gemini is it more
people outside or cars squealing their tires.
Connie Russell states it seems more to be people being noisy and disruptive,
later in the evening congregating. She also points out the vulgarity, fighting, and
extremely disruptive having improved with the Police presence. The nights that
it seems to happen most are Friday and Saturday. Wednesday and Thursday are
not bad.
Another citizen of Franklin Place commented on the motorcycle traffic, and if a
smoking area will eliminate the disruption when leaving it would be helpful.
Councilor Gratwick asks if they will be recommending this to another Committee
or to the Council to give the space. And asks the Brands if there are other
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options for the smoking area such as roof gardens or other places that would not
take parking.
Matt Brank States not right now. The roof material is not adequate.
Councilor Gratwick asks if they are taking care of the base and are the plans
underway with the Engineering firms, and if they have a contract with the firm in
Boston.
Jim Lacurdy from CES states they are working on a design to use the smoking
area as mitigation on the base sound, as well as reconstruction of the rear of the
building. The lease of the space will determine what level of effort needs to go
into the wall construction and/or the smoking construction.
Councilor Gratwick questions the situation with bouncers now that the contract
with the Police patrol has expired.
Matt Brand responds that they have a full staff of bouncers, especially on Friday
and Saturday. That would consist of six, not including himself and his brother
being there acting in various capacities. There was a three week trial with the
Police, it definitely improved, quieter crowd. And agreed with Chief Winslow to
play it by ear, if it goes up again to call in more officers. Three nights a month
Police presence will be there, but not the same nights every month. That could
address the noise when people are leaving.
Tom Brand states in reference to the roof, it is not designed to handle that kind
of weight load and there is no access to the roof except via an outside ladder.
That would require major reconstruction. The noise level of the music would be
a problem if that were to be considered. The can control the sound level at the
present location in the basement but could not if it were roof level. He also
points out the issue of the bouncers not having jurisdiction outside of the club,
on public property and employee risks if they were to do so.
Ed Barrett asks if they are willing to consider this proposal. If yes, then do you
want to asks the advice of the Parking Committee that Sally raised? There are
issues involved in zoning that have not been fully explored at this point which
would need the involvement of the Code Officer, the Planning Staff, setbacks,
and buffer issues. The larger issue will have to be looked at. He states he
would be hesitant due to not having enough information on everything required.
And concerned about giving a yes, and having something come up later that
would require them to have to stop. And suggested to look at that, not at the
next meeting but the meeting after that to give time to know what all the
implications are. And to sit down with the Brands and offer all the options
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regarding zoning, the process, and additional requirements that may arise
because of rezoning the building.
Councilor Gratwick states that the Parking Commission will need to look at all the
associated costs and parking spaces.
Ed Barrett would recommend have Staff work on those issues rather than the
Parking Committee. The Parking Committee is already charged with a large
parking issue than with pricing on five parking spaces.
Norm Heitmann states that at some point the lease or sale of the spaces and
price will have to be decided. And if there is a sale do you have a reverter. If
this business were to close and didn’t need the smoking area, does the property
come back to us. Jim’s point is right, whether there is a sale or lease the City
would want to retain rights should the City want to build a parking garage at that
space. There’s a number of things to look at in terms of agreement.
Jim Ring asks if there are any other construction options.
Tom Brand stated that some major reconstruction needs to be completed on the
parking spaces and the reloading zone at City expense anyway. The way the
parking lot is constructed the material underneath the parking spaces has
expanded and changed the shape of the blacktop in such a way that every time
it rains it floods the building. He states that with his conversation with the City
Engineer indicated that was a problem the City would have to solve.
Norm Heitmann states they don’t need to rush into this given all the unanswered
questions. And requests all interested parties be patient.
Councilor Farrington recommends continuing to work on this. And refers this to
Staff, the Parking Commission, then back to TIC, then the Council.
Councilor Gratwick concurs.
Ed Barrett clarifies that this will remain under consideration, ask the Parking
Committee for their recommendation, not immediately put something on the
Council Agenda, Staff will work on the zoning issues with the Brands. Jim Ring
will work on parking layout, and at Staff level will work on lease rate costs.
Councilor Gratwick motion to adjourn, Councilor Farrington seconded.
Adjourned.
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