HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-12-15 Community and Economic Development Committee MinutesCOMMUNITY 6 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Wednesday, Dec. 15, 1993
MINUTES
MEMBERS
PRESENT: Councilor Gerard Baldacci, Chair
Councilor .Tames Tyler
Councilor Chris Popper
OTHERS
PRESENT: Councilor W. Shubert
Councilor Don Soucy
Kenneth R. Gibb, Director of Coammn£ty 6 Economic Dev.
Edward A. Barrett, City Manager
Rodney G. McKay, Community Development Director
Sohn Lord, Planning Officer
Bruce Shibles, Asst. City Solicitor
Sim Ring, City Engineer
David Kousky, Bangor -Brewer Farmers Market.
Association
Wayne Pelletier
Kay Lebowitz
The meeting was called to order by Councilor Gerard Baldacci
at approximately 5:03 M.
AGENDA ITEM 41 - Lease with Farmers Market
A proposed lease agreement between the City of Bangor and the
Bangor -Brewer Farmers Market Aasociation was discussed in detail.
The site that has been chosen is the parking lot (approx. .6 acres)
behind the Paul Bunyan Park. The proposed term of the lease would
be from May let to Oct. 31st of each year for the 3 -year lease
term. Previously an outline of this lease was presented to the
City Council at their November 29th meeting whereby there was a
general consensus in support of the lease terms. Prior to that
Council meeting however, Councilor Shubert expressed concern of
whether or not Bangor farmers would be allowed into the
Association. Staff stated at that time that this was not an area
that they felt they could manage; that this is not a municipal o
public market and consequently should not be regulated as it is a
private Association. The Council was r with Staff on
this issue after significant discussion, including comments from
Mr. Kousky, Mr. Pelletier and Ms. Lebowitz.
A motion was made and seconded to approve the Lease Agreement
between the City of Bangor and the Bangor -Brewer Farmers Market
Association as presented. So voted.
BNDA ITEM #2 - Temporary Harlow Street Pedestrian Walkway
The owner of the former Sears Building, Robert Duerr, will be
demolishing the Harlow Street side of this structure in the near
future. The contractor who will be doing this work has requested
that he be allowed to use the sidewalk for the equipment required
to accomplish this. He is proposing to construct a pedestrian
walkway in the adjacent parking spaces located on Harlow Street
during the time that the sidewalk will be used for the necessary
construction equipment.
Bangor Federal Credit Union has expressed concerns about the
loss of parking spaces on Harlow Street. Several options were
discussed by the Cousittee.
Staff recommended that the Committee approve the proposed
walkway location.
A motion was made and seconded to approve the requested
pedestrian walkway subject to a solution being worked out in terms
of parking nearby the Bangor Federal Credit Union. So voted.
AGENDA ITEM #3 - Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy
Update (CHAS)
The CHAS annual update was reviewed by Staff before the
Committee. The City is required to submit this in order to
maintain its eligibility for federal programs available through the
O.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (BUD), Title I of
the National Affordable Housing Act. This will be submitted to BUD
by December 31st. It is expected to be approximately 200 pages in
length and will be on file in the City Clerk's office upon
completion prior to the December 27th City Council meeting.
Changes in administrations, legislation and the availability
of the 1990 census information require that a completely new CHAS
be adopted and submitted no later than December 31st even though
the City has prepared and adopted two five-year CHAR documents in
the last 2 1/2 years.
A motion was made and seconded to recommend to the City
Council that the CHAS as presented be adopted and submitted to HUD.
So voted.
MISCELLANEOUS - Mt. Hope/Hogan Brad Neighborhood Concerns
City Manager Ed Barrett reviewed a recent issue regarding a
specific land use problem. The groups involved are the East Side
Neighborhood Association (the owners of the property), the
developer and the City of Bangor as a 3rd party. The City had
tried to remain'a neutral party in this issue but official actions
have had to be taken thus involving the City. Staff's
recoazaendation is that the City pursue discussions with the other
2 parties, the developer and the neighborhood group, and suggest to
them that an interest mediator be brought in as an independent
party. The mediator would meet with each group separately in
order to gather pertinent background such as concerns, needs and
wants; then have the mediator facilitate 1-3 sessions between all
parties concerned in order to come up with a solution whereby none
of the parties will veto. The approximate time that the mediator
will be involved will be around 3 full days at a cost of $50-100
per hour for a total of around $3,000 with each party paying one-
third. It is felt that this approach will be the moat effective
method in order to accomplish what is acceptable and best for all
concerned. If the neighborhood or developer is not willing to do
this then the City would pay the entire cost.
Staff is requesting Committee's acceptance of this format
before proceeding. If the neighborhood or developer is not willing
to do this then the City may have to pay the entire coat.
Consittee agreed with Ed's suggestions as presented with
respect to an interest mediator and as to how the coat should be
shared.
Ed stated that he would approach the neighborhood residents to
get their reaction to his proposed approach.
AGENDA ITEM 64 - planning Update
John Lord reviewed two items that were referred from the City
Council back to the Planning Board. The first was an amendment to
the Land Development Code, Waterfront Development District. This
district bad at one point bad a provision similar to this
amendment. Staff realized there was the need to have flexibility
for such business development such as a small scale boat building
ompany with tours also; there was never a final amendment to
accommodate such anactivity. Therecent interest of the Sea Dog
Brewery Company in the old Vicar Building immediately raised this
concern about the District regulations. This will be a conditional
use and will be a Land Use decision that will be considered by the
Planning Board.
The 2nd item dealt with the area of Milford Street and the
probl®s of access to the a of Broadway, Nary Snow School with
regard to theissue if there were development of this area there
would be a need to discontinue streets at a certain point with
access to Broadway, etc. A contract zone change has been proposed
to GAISG for this entire parcel with a number of contract
conditions which are aimed at specific needs for the area that
Staff perceives such as handling traffic flow which Is required to
access the development from Broadway; the current Essex Street
access will stay. One restriction is that the set -back on Essex
Street be retained for all parking and building that exists. This
in keeping with the City's Land Use and Zoning Policy and Staff
will be recommending this contract zone change to the Planning
Board. Staff stated that concerns within the neighborhood are not
known at this time. Notices have been sent to area residents (52)
notifying them of the change.
AGENDA ITEM #5 - Pickering Square Lease - Village Car Company
Ken Gibb introduced this item to the Committee. The City had
previously had a lease with Village Car Company in the winter of
1989-90 to store vehicles on top of the Pickering Square Parking
Garage for 4 months at $1,000 per month. This arrangement went
well with no problems for either party. Recently, Village Car
Company has approached the City to renew the lease for this winter.
Staff recommends renewing the lease agreement with the teres
the same as in 1989-90 with Village Car Company for the winter of
1993-94 (4 months total, Dec. - march).
A motion was made and seconded to approve the renewal of a
lease agreement between the City of Bangor and Village Car Company
for use of the top of the Pickering Square Parking Garage. So
voted.
With no other business at hand, the meeting adjourned at 7:05
PM.
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