Newport board OKs park businesses

NEWPORT – Newport’s planning board members Wednesday night unanimously approved the plans of three new businesses in the town’s Route 2 industrial park.

The new development was welcomed by town leaders since the park has seen minimal growth since its creation six years ago, a situation that Town Manager James Ricker said is likely to change. To assist that change, Ricker said the town is beginning the process to rezone the park to allow more retail sales.

The park’s industrial-commercial zone only allows retail sales in 10 percent of a business’s floor space.

“We had a vision five years ago that the industrial park would fill right up,” said Ricker. “That was a bad vision.”

By shifting the focus from industrial to business, Ricker said more tenants will be lured and jobs created. Creating jobs is vital because when Newport accepted federal assistance for the park in 1998, the town agreed to create 24 jobs within two years. “We haven’t met that threshold and we are currently being audited as to why,” he told the planners.

The companies approved Wednesday night will provide up to 36 new jobs in the first year.

Two of the three businesses approved for the park Wednesday night also mentioned that a southbound exit and entrance off the Plymouth-Newport exit on Interstate 95, which has only northbound ramps, would help their businesses grow more efficiently.

“The only thing we can do is contact [the Maine Department of Transportation] and identify this as a priority for the town,” said Ricker. “It’s been different before now. We have three businesses tonight [going into the park] and two more likely within the next couple of months. That gives us more bite with MDOT.”

Those businesses approved are:

. Sebasticook Marine, a factory direct repair and bass boat dealership, which also intends to move a second business, now located in Brewer, into the location to create a carrier terminal later this year.

. SteriLogic Waste Systems of New York, which will provide medical waste sterilization and disposal for the 38 members of the Maine Hospital Association.

. Mineral Spring Mushroom Farm, which will grow gourmet mushrooms in three greenhouses on sterilized hay and sawdust.

Ricker said a courier business with locations in both Maine and New Hampshire also will locate soon in the park and he is negotiating with a construction company that has shown interest.