Council downs one Waterworks idea, waiting on Sea Dog plan

BANGOR — The Bangor City Council had a busy evening Monday, beginning with a workshop to discuss two proposals for development of the city-owned Waterworks on State Street.

The council decided to turn down the proposal by Gary LaBrecque and William Meucci to develop a multiuse commercial facility, and to give the Sea Dog Brewing Co. time to do a structural analysis to see if the 1875-era buildings on the site would be suitable for its expansion.

According to Community and Economic Development Director Rodney McKay, the sticking point in the proposal by LaBrecque and Meucci, co-owners of Waterworks Associates Developers, was that the developers were asking the city to put up all of the $3.1 million estimated cost of their project.

That’s about $2 million more than the city could come up with, McKay said. The $3.1 million would have included $278,252 to put in a traffic signal and other equipment, so the public could have used the railroad crossing to get onto the site.

Peter Camplin’s proposal for the expansion to the Sea Dog would have the site used only by employees and delivery trucks, and thus would not need the crossing signal. Camplin wants to expand his brewery.

During its regular meeting later in the evening, the council approved without discussion an amendment to expand the city ordinance on blasting.

Spurred by neighborhood complaints following blasting during a construction project at St. Joseph Hospital, the amendment will limit blasting to daylight hours, require blasters to comply with federal and state regulations, impose fees of $25 to $100 for a permit, and require blasters to show proof of insurance. The previous fine of “up to $1,000” for a violation was changed to $1,000.

By a 7-1 vote, the council directed City Manager Edward Barrett to apply to the Federal Aviation Administration for the release of restrictions on 10 acres of property at the corner of Godfrey Boulevard and Union Street, so the city might consider a purchase offer from an unidentified developer. City-owned property in the area of the airport is usually leased because of FAA restrictions.

Voting against the order was Councilor Patricia Blanchette, who said that the city had “paid big money” for surveys and feasibility studies on land around the airport, and that the concept envisioned “did not … include a strip mall.”

Councilor James Tyler said it was understandable that a developer would seek to buy the land because it was more difficult to obtain financing for a project built on leased land.

Also on Monday, the council approved several agreements with the Maine Department of Transportation on improvement projects: resurfacing two sections of Union Street, reconstructing one-third of a mile of Stillwater Avenue, and developing a bicycle and pedestrian pathway system along Stillwater Avenue and Hogan Road.

An agreement for a bicycle and pedestrian trail along part of the former Veazie Railroad was referred to committee after comments in opposition by several landowners in the area.

The council presented proclamations Monday honoring James Doughty as Maine Superintendent of the Year, and recognizing the academic, athletic and extra-curricular achievements of students at Bangor High School.

On hand were representatives of the state champion teams in boys basketball, boys swimming and girls swimming; the Eastern Maine champion team in football; and the No. 1-ranked team in the Maine Association of Math Leagues.

Mayor Marshall Frankel also proclaimed April 14-21 Holocaust Remembrance Week. Councilor Gerard Baldacci read the proclamation and presented it to Robert Sezak, president of the Jewish Community Council.

Also recognized Monday were members of the Bangor Police Department and the Bangor Fire Department who saved the life of a man having a heart attack last month.