BIDDEFORD — Frustration was evident as residents expressed their dislike for Biddeford’s paid parking plan during a meeting held Wednesday evening at the Little Theater at Biddeford High School.

Some Biddeford City Councilors, Biddeford Mayor Alan Casavant and Biddeford City Manager Jim Bennett listened for an hour and a half as city residents and business owners affected by the parking changes called the plan unwanted and contrary to what city residents overwhelming rejected in a 2014 referendum prohibiting parking meters in the city’s center.

The special meeting was called after a petition was filed with the Biddeford City Clerk’s Office requesting the meeting and allowed by the city charter pending the submission of petition signed by at least 100 Biddeford registered voters. No city officials spoke at the meeting and Casavant said points raised by residents would be considered by the city council.

Bruce Martin of Biddeford said the parking plan is an example of how out of touch Biddeford city government is with the constituents they are supposed to represent.

“I’ve never been so disgusted in my life,” Martin said. “They get into office and lose sight of who they’re working for. The City Council took power away from the people. Do something.”

When the paid parking plan was launched, Biddeford officials said that there were a number of reasons the parking changes were needed including providing short-term, high-turnover parking options for those visiting the downtown to eat, shop or do other business; taking the tax burden off property taxpayers to maintain downtown streets and the parking lots (the cost of which has been paid for through the general fund); and because there wasn’t enough parking to go around. They cited parking studies saying there is an existing demand for 4,200 parking spots, but only 2,889 combined public and private spaces exist in the downtown and adjacent mill district.

The overall parking plan also includes the possibility of building a parking garage on the former Maine Energy Recovery Company property in the mill district with revenue generated through payments from parking permits used to help pay for a parking structure.

Business owners attending the meeting say the paid parking controversy is affecting their bottom line and giving the city a poor reputation.

Stacy Cooper owns Biscuits and Company of Alfred Street and said her restaurant is being impacted by the parking plan.

“From the beginning, I tried to stay neutral on the parking situation,” Cooper said. “I’m here because of what I’m hearing and the impact from the parking situation. Every day my customers tell me about their parking situation confusion. Many customers say they won’t come downtown without a reason. There are a new wave of tourists coming in who are surprised to see the changes.”

Cooper said as a business, she s paying more than $1,500 a year for her employees to park and is seeing fewer customers since paid parking was started.

Ben Loveland of Biddeford said he’s fed up with the parking plan too.

“We don’t want a parking garage,” he said. “We don’t want paid parking. The will of the voters has not been respected. It’s double-speak of calling a meter a kiosk.”

When paid parking was first introduced in December, the short term rate was $1 per hour to park in city lots with a $30 monthly permit for a Monday through Friday pass, $20 for a nights and weekends pass; and $40 for a 24/7 pass. But those rates were increased May 1 to $2 per hour, and $50, $35 and $65 respectively. Municipal lots affected are the Alfred Street parking lot, the lot at 17 Franklin St., a lot on the corner of Franklin and Washington streets, the Federal Street parking lot, the Foss Street lot, the Gas House parking lot on Water Street, the Washington Street parking lot and the wastewater parking lot on the corner of Water and Pike streets.

Biddeford resident Sue Sexton of Grady’s Radio and Satellite TV on the corner of Main and Alfred streets, asked councilors and the mayor to scrap the paid parking plan.

“Let’s reconsider this parking thing and give people a place where they’re happy to live,” she said.

Jason Litalien of Biddeford served as moderator for the meeting and told participants that he had a filed a lawsuit in York County Superior Court in October against the city to prohibit charging to park in city-owned lots.

He said that the case was moved to Cumberland County Superior Court in Portland and that lawsuit was dismissed in May because he waited too long to challenge a city vote to approve the plan and should have filed his suit within 30 days of that vote.

Litalien said he filed another suit on constitutional grounds at U.S. District Court in Portland on May 24 claiming that implementation of the parking plan is a direct violation of the First Amendment rights of the citizens of Biddeford by disregarding the binding 2014 referendum.

“Your vote is protected by free speech,” Litalien said.

According to Litalien, documents received by city councilors from the kiosks’ manufacturer labeled them as “meters” and not “kiosks.”

Biddeford resident Grady Sexton said paid parking is hurting downtown business opportunities in the city.

“For people wanting to rent downtown, by not having free parking, they’re not going to come,” he said. “Paid parking is gong to be the death of downtown. It’s not going to increase business, it will negate business.”

Following the meeting, residents in attendance voted to present an order to the councilors “that instructs the City Council to remove the parking meters installed downtown and prohibit the City from charging for parking within one mile of Biddeford City Hall. Furthermore, the order will instruct the City Council that it may not charge for parking within one mile of City Hall unless the referendum from 2014 that prohibits parking meters is overturned.”

— Executive Editor Ed Pierce can be reached at 282-1535 or by email at editor@journaltribune.com

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