The city will sell 13 acres of land along the Androscoggin River to a local land trust to keep the land open space.

The Androscoggin Land Trust plans to use the land, just west of Strawberry Avenue, to build a walking trail and give canoe and kayak paddlers river access.

Councilors agreed to let City Administrator Jim Bennett work out the details of the sale with the land trust and other developers. An affordable housing developer owns the land north of the 13-acre lot, and Bennett said the developer might be willing to give the land trust access to that land, letting it build a longer trail.

– Scott Taylor
Lewiston: City condemns damaged house

Councilors agreed to condemn a Sabattus Street house damaged in a January 2005 fire after the owner said he’s been unable to make repairs.

When the house at 612 Sabattus St. caught fire on Jan. 22, fire crews cut a hole in the roof to put it out. That hole was never repaired, and conditions have deteriorated since then.

“The building wasn’t in that bad of shape after the fire,” said Gil Arsenault, city planning and code enforcement director. “It’s been the water and storm damage since that’s really made it unsafe.” Councilors declared the structure unsafe Tuesday night. Owner Edward Booher now has a month to appeal.

– Scott Taylor