As a resident of 40 Portland Pier, a 20-unit condominium complex that has been on the pier for 30 years, I would like to express my bafflement at the process used to approve the 160-plus-seat restaurant proposed by the owners of Luke’s Lobster.
Residents here are in full support of maintaining a working waterfront. In fact, it is the reason many of us chose to live here. However, in the decision to allow a restaurant of this size on a narrow dead-end street, the city planning and urban development process was deeply flawed.
No thought was given to the impact this would have on an already congested pier. The administrative authorization report from the city states, in its assessment, that there would be no increase in traffic, even though a proposed valet service would mean four trips per car past our building.
In a separate issue, anyone who lives in the area knows that the pier regularly floods during astronomical high tides. Yet the approval went through without any apparent thought as to the contingency plan for such an event.
Luke Holden is to be commended for his commitment to the fishermen and lobstermen on our unique waterfront. The city of Portland, however, should be ashamed of a process that totally dismisses the concerns of homeowners affected by their actions.
James Becker
Portland
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