SANFORD — The city council is contemplating designating two interior parking rows in the lower portion of the Mid-Town Mall for residents of a nearby mill apartment complex.

It is a step in the process of developing a comprehensive parking program for the downtown, and while the proposal got a first reading by the City Council Tuesday, there will likely be some tweaking before the vote, currently scheduled for April 21. The public hearing that began Tuesday is expected to continue the night of the vote.

Through an agreement with Northland Enterprises, the company that developed the Sanford Mill complex, the city must provide 35 parking slots for mill residents, and may designate where they’re located.

If the current proposal is approved, the mill developers would issue permits for the residents to park in the two interior rows of the city-owned lower Mid-Town Mall lot. The proposal would ban all overnight parking on both levels of the mall lot except for those two rows.

April Libby, who owns the Third Alarm Diner nearby, said she hopes the proposal will mean those currently parking on the rim of the lower Mid-Town Mall lot all day ”“ or for several days ”“ won’t be doing so.

“This is a great idea, and I appreciate it,” Libby told the council during the public hearing. She said she hoped the council would go a step further, and attempt to control parking on Pioneer Avenue, where, she said, she’s noticed some folks also park for days. Libby asked the council to install two-hour parking signs.

“Most people want to do the right thing,” she said, indicating she thought most folks would abide by the signs.

Libby said when the outside rim of the Mid-Town Mall lot is full of cars, and the parking slots on Pioneer Avenue near the diner are full, people assume the diner is busy and keep driving. She said one car parked on Pioneer Avenue for three days without being moved.

City Manager Steve Buck said Northland Enterprises, LLC leases the city-owned lot directly behind the mill. That 67-vehicle lot has some slots designated for residents, with the remainder for patrons of the mill restaurant, gym, beauty salon and other commercial tenants.

As well, through an agreement, the city provides 85 slots for parking in any number of lots it owns throughout the district within 400 yards of the mill.

The current proposal, said Councilor Alan Walsh, “is clear as mud to me.”

Councilor Fred Smith said the council’s public safety subcommittee is looking at a parking plan for downtown.

“It’s a very sensitive issue,” Smith said.

Smith suggested all parking be designated with a two-hour limit until the full plan can be worked out.

Mayor Ton Cote asked the subcommittee to tweak the plan for the continued public hearing and second reading April 21.

“We have a parking problem. Its a good problem (to have),” said Walsh, pointing out that it means the downtown is busy.

“It is,” agreed Deputy Mayor Maura Herlihy.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].