North River Co. plans to redevelop the former Lockwood Mill, near the Ticonic Bridge, in Waterville. The project calls for creating about 65 residential units, including at least 40 affordable units and more than 20 available at market rate. North River owns the Hathaway Creative Center and the adjacent building formerly owned by Central Maine Power Co. Amy Calder/Morning Sentinel
WATERVILLE — The City Council on Tuesday is scheduled to take final votes on whether to approve changes to a pair of tax increment financing districts and related development plans for the Lockwood Mills housing project, which calls for developing 65 units in the former Marden’s Industrial building on Water Street.
The virtual meeting will be at 7 p.m. and those interested should vist the city’s website for the link.
The council on May 4 voted 7-0 to take first votes to approve the TIF requests following a public hearing at which Dan Jacques and Mariah Monks represented North River Co., which owns the Lockwood complex. One more vote is needed on each of the TIF issues to finalize the changes.
The Lockwood Mills complex includes the Hathaway Creative Center to the south, the former Central Maine Power Co. adjacent to it, and the former Marden’s Industrial building at the north end of the complex, next to Ticonic Bridge. That building would be redeveloped to include 65 mostly affordable residential units and some at market rate. Hathaway Creative Center has 67 apartments.
A TIF is in place for the former Marden’s and CMP buildings, but North River wants to change the TIF to move 21 proposed housing units out of the CMP building and into the Marden’s building.
TIF districts allow cities and towns to shield increases in valuation due to new development. Because those increases are not used in calculations to determine state aid for education, state revenue sharing and county tax assessments, it saves in local property taxes. Plans call for developing 47 affordable one, two and three-bedroom units, as well as 29 one-bedroom units, 22 two-bedroom units and 14 three-bedroom units.
In other matters Tuesday, councilors are scheduled to consider taking a first of two votes needed to adopt an ordinance dealing with the use of facial recognition technology in the city.
The proposed ordinance would prohibit city officials from obtaining or possessing any face surveillance system and entering into a contract with a third party to obtain or possess such a system; however, it would not prohibit city officials from utilizing those systems for the purpose of performing law enforcement functions.
The council also is slated to consider funding three outside agencies, after voting on May 4 to postpone voting on those requests. The Alfond Youth & Community Center funding request is $10,000 each year for three years; $15,000 for Kennebec Valley Community Action program; and $43,500 for the growth council. Councilors also discussed another $100,000 for a three-year period to hire a person at the Growth Council who would be dedicated to economic development in Waterville.
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