FARMINGTON — Selectmen voted 3-1 Tuesday to authorize the town attorney to renegotiate the Front Street parking lot lease with new owner John Moore. One selectman was absent.

Selectmen Andrew Hufnagel, Ryan Morgan and Chairman Stephan Bunker approved the move that would allow changes to the parking area for flow of traffic and safety.  Selectman Dennis Pike voted against the motion due to concern that some unrestricted parking spaces could be eliminated.

Voters approved continuing with the lease making approximately 24 slots available for unrestricted or overnight parking at the April town meeting, he explained.

Moore, owner of Narrow Gauge Cinema, recently purchased the leased lot from Greg Roux. He has started talks with lease participants, the town and university, with an intention to shoulder a third of the costs for proposed changes to the lot.

The plan and number of parking spaces is up for renegotiation but the board vote only allows negotiation of a plan that ultimately comes before voters during a town meeting.

Moore is currently adding a permanent fence, shrubs and granite curbing for a sidewalk at the end of his movie theatre lot.  He presented the board with a plan to  add 10 diagonal parking spaces at the curbing for unrestricted or overnight parking, enlarge the right of way and use the present lot with approximately 18 spaces for daytime parking.

Mostly downtown apartment tenants now use the space as the only free overnight parking available.  Attorney and downtown landlord Paul Mills told the board the town could not afford to take a step backward.  A 99-year lease was negotiated in 1993 to help ease the lack of unrestricted parking.

Additional day parking is expected shortly through the permitted use of Franklin Savings Bank spaces on Front Street, approximately 50 spaces,  he said.

Selectman Hufnagel questioned why taxpayers should be expected to pay for tenant parking for downtown landlords.

After town meeting, a for sale sign went up on the lot and Moore was the only one to step up and become involved. Why didn’t the landlords step up, Selectman Morgan asked.

Mills contended that the original lease provided for unrestricted tenant parking.

Moore said the plan to redesign the space arose out of concerns for safety and the flow of traffic as commercial activity increases in the Front Street area. He intends to build another building.

Ben Pratt, facilities management director for the University of Maine at Farmington, told the board the university has supported the plan because it intends to expand its sports programs and the new design creates a “gateway” to Prescott Field behind the lot.

In addition, the fields will be used for the next couple years by RSU 9 teams during the high school renovation.  When there’s a game, parking is an issue, Pratt said.

The board voted to move forward, including landlords in the discussions with the town attorney, town, university and Moore to seek a compromise to bring to voters.

[email protected]