The City Council on Monday set aside the money for utilities and roads at a new Auburn industrial park.

Councilors voted 7-0 Monday to borrow $3 million to bring roads, sewer and water, electricity, natural gas, and other utility and infrastructure improvements to the 144 acres southwest of the airport and along the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad. The plan passed easily on second reading.

The Auburn Business Development Corp. will develop a 76-acre business park there. Corporation President David Pierson said Bisson Transportation has hired contractors H.E. Callahan to develop that company’s new transfer warehouse in the park.

The new $3 million bond will be paid with new property tax revenues from the park.

– Scott Taylor
Auburn:

Council amends zoning code

Councilors on Monday made it easier for small businesses to expand and found a way to keep neighbors informed.

Small businesses that don’t conform to some zoning codes faced taking their plans to the Planning Board directly before the change.

That required paying up to $1,800 in city fees and engineering expenses.

The new rule would let those businesses ask city staff for approval for expansions of less than 25 percent of existing square footage. If staff doesn’t agree, the business could appeal to the Planning Board.

The new rule also requires the city to notify abutters about the decision and give them 10 days to appeal.

The council has been considering some version of the plan for a year.

– Scott Taylor
Lewiston-Auburn:

Students make pollution study

Students from four area high schools are surveying L-A businesses to see how they affect storm water pollution.

The students are participating in the Androscoggin Valley Educational Collaborative Math and Science program at the Auburn Land Lab.

The students attend one session at the land lab each month, participating in service projects.

The group began looking at area businesses last week. They study how each business handles vehicle operations, outdoor materials, solid waste and storm runoff on pavement. It’s designed to see how the business affects water quality.

Students will also stencil storm drains that feed directly into the Androscoggin River on May 25.

– Scott Taylor
Lewiston:

Ambulance squad lot rezoned

United Ambulance employees got a new entrance for the Russell Street offices.

The City Council agreed to rezone lots at 338 and 348 East Ave. Tuesday. The company plans to put an entrance and exit to its offices at 338 East Ave. and use the lot at the corner of East Avenue and Russell Street for employee parking.

The company’s office has one exit, onto Russell Street, and both employees and ambulances use it.

The new lots will give employees access to the offices off East Avenue. Ambulances will continue using Russell Street.

The lots had neighborhood conservation district A zoning, designed to buffer the neighborhood northeast of East Avenue.

The new zoning is office residential, which allows light commercial uses.

– Scott Taylor