WATERVILLE — City councilors on Tuesday will consider approving an agreement with Hathaway Creative Center developer Paul Boghossian that would allow him to lease 30 spaces in a city-owned parking lot on Front Street.
The meeting will be at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at The Center downtown and will be preceded by a 6:45 p.m. executive or private session to discuss labor negotiations.
The parking lot Boghossian wants to lease spaces in is at the south end of Front Street across the street from the former Levine’s clothing store. Boghossian is asking to lease the spaces for $25 per space, per year, for a 5-year period.
He asked to lease up to 50 spaces in the 60-space lot, but City Manager Michael Roy is recommending the city lease no more than 30 spaces because businesses use the space for parking.
“Most mornings I visit that lot there are 20 vehicles parked there,” Roy wrote in a memo to councilors and Mayor Nick Isgro, dated April 21. “Last Thursday, just before noon, I counted 31 vehicles.”
The resolution councilors will consider Tuesday says Boghossian would be responsible for enforcement of parking restrictions within the leased area of the lot and the city would continue to be responsible for summer and winter maintenance of the lot.
“Remaining spaces in the lot will remain open for use by the public,” it says.
Roy said Monday that a lease with Boghossian would provide additional parking for his plans to develop buildings in the Hathaway Creative Center on Water Street.
“The city wants to do everything it can to help,” he said.
In other matters Tuesday, the council will consider authorizing the issuance of revenue obligation securities for up to $7.8 million for construction of a 35,000-square-foot dormitory at Thomas College. Thomas intends to refinance the debt incurred to finance the project with the proceeds of revenue obligation securities issued by the city.
Roy said that if the council approves the request, the city is saying it is willing to lend its name to borrowing that Thomas plans to undertake. The benefit is that the borrowing will be tax-exempt, he said.
The city did a similar lending of its name for Delta Ambulance, which constructed a building on Chase Avenue.
“It’s a common thing, I think, for institutions to take advantage of the tax-exempt borrowing through municipal organizations,” Roy said. “The city has no liability or obligation whatsoever through the financing mechanism.”
The resolution councilors will consider approving Tuesday says the college and city anticipate the dormitory project will make a contribution to the economic growth of the city and to the betterment of the city’s inhabitants.
Councilors also will consider appropriating $5,000 from the South End Neighborhood Improvement Fund for expenses associated with improvements to Green Street Park. Those funds would not be spent until matching funds are available. Funds in the account come from the sale of tax-acquired property in the South End and other sources.
The council will consider referring to the Planning Board for a public hearing and recommendation a request to create a new contract zoned district so a car wash may be built at 145 Kennedy Memorial Drive. The property is owned by Jarod Hurdle.
Councilors also will consider referring to the Planning Board a request to rezone 133 Water St. from commercial to residential to allow required building setbacks to be decreased so a residential garage may be built there. Whitney Blakeslee owns the South End property, which is under contract to Michael Blaisdell.
Amy Calder — 861-9247
Twitter: @AmyCalder17
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