Proposed airport expansion 

sent to planning board

Last week, the South Portland City Council voted to allow the planning board to review plans for a new airplane de-icing facility required by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in 2010, but voted against a proposed 1,100-foot extension of a runway. 

“I feel like we’re being rushed here,” Mayor Tom Blake told jetport officials. “If you’ve taken five years planning this, I have no problem taking five months to discuss it.”

Other councilors agreed the plans had been hastily reviewed during the first reading. Although some, including councilor Linda Boudreau, left a workshop feeling “positive” about the runway proposal, the council needed more time before expanding the city’s Light Industrial (IL) zone to accommodate the runway extension.

Jetport Director Paul Bradbury urged the council to approve the zone expansion to meet a tight timeline to acquire federal stimulus money to fund what he views as a safety measure for the airport.

“Airplanes can go off the runway, it’s a huge safety issue,” Bradbury said. “The two runways we have do not have any runway safety areas. What we’re saying is we want them landing in a runway that doesn’t meet the standard.”

The IL zone expansion, with the exception of allowing the runway extensions, passed in a 5-2 vote with councilor Jim Hughes and Blake in the minority.

“I felt I didn’t have enough time,” Hughes said. “I would like the opportunity to make sure we’re making the best decision.”

Priming the pump

On June 9, voters in South Portland will determine whether the city is eligible to capture up to $3 million in federal stimulus money to rebuild the Long Creek Pump station that funnels sewage and storm water from the city’s west end.

“This is just opening the door,” Councilor Patti Smith said. “It makes sense.”

South Portland Finance Director Greg L’Heureux said a $3 million bond proposal on the ballot doesn’t mean the city will take on more debt if federal dollars are not available for the project. He said the city already has set aside $5 million for the project in a sewer-user fund and tax-increment financing dollars, but he would rather leave those accounts intact for other city improvement projects. Voter approval to borrow the funds would allow the Maine Municipal Bond Bank to loan the city up to $3 million at a zero percent interest rate, he said.

“If there’s an opportunity to capture anything other than city funds, that’s a benefit to this community,” City Manager Jim Gaily said.

Although a majority of the council supported capturing the stimulus money, some worried a $3 million bond question may give voters the wrong impression.

“This is a very complicated story to grab stimulus money,” Councilor Linda Boudreau said. “There’s good money out there and we need to go for it, but to tell the voters this story is tricky.”

The bond proposal passed in a 6-1 vote with Councilor Jim Soule in the minority. 

“There are tremendous needs in this community,” Soule said. “I’m not so sure this passes my straight-face test when we have so many other needs in this community.”

Get your dogs, where?

This summer, Westbrook-based business The Good Chef and Dozer’s Dogs, owned by South Portland property owner Linda Weeks, will be able to sell food in South Portland. While Councilor Jim Soule said business license applications for mobile food vendors are typically “rubber stamped” by the council, both parties were granted variances that allow them to sell food within 500 feet of other other licensed food establishments.

“I really do have a problem with mobile carts coming into the area and competing with established businesses,” Soule said. “We have a number of businesses that pay taxes to this community. They have infrastructure they have built in this community. I’m not sure it’s right for a mobile unit to come in and take away business from them.”

Other councilors supported the variances on the basis it created “fair competition,” as Councilor Patti Smith said, and in the interest of the working public.

“Some days – particularly those when you forgot to bring a lunch – when the mobile food cart came it was a welcome relief,” Councilor Tom Coward said. 

Refund for fleeced flea market vendors

Approximately $275 will be redistributed to the 11 vendors at the South Portland Flea Market, businesses the city council determined were overcharged for their space during the past several weeks. Louis Maietta, owner of the South Portland Flea Market, said eliminating a $25 licensing fee and refunding the money to his current vendors will be key to keeping the business alive.

“Unless that fee goes away, they’re not coming,” he said. “Some have suggested I lower my rates, but I’m at $25 now. If I get 40 vendors in there I can pay my taxes on the building. I can’t pay people to go there.”

A majority of councilors favored eliminating the $25 fee, bringing the total cost for a vendor license down to $15 and refunding those who had paid it. Councilor Jim Soule proposed eliminating any cost associated with the license.

“If this is what is going on in other communities we need to do the same to keep on the same playing field,” he said.

The council voted unanimously to eliminate the $25 fee and distribute the refund but did not grant Maietta’s request to declare an emergency, making the changes effective immediately as opposed to the traditional 20-day waiting period.

“I’m not sure about the emergency need,” Councilor Patti Smith said. “A good business plan is a good business plan. I understand the window might be short, but I just don’t see it.”