York Town News
Manager's research puts brakes on Beach parking problem
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK BEACH - It took Town Manager Rob Yandow just a few days to put to rest business owners' fears about increased metered parking at Ellis Short Sands Park, and to come to an amicable solution with the park's trustees.In recent weeks, York Beach business owner Joe Lipton approached the Board of Selectmen, asking the town to look into increased metered parking hours at Ellis Short Sands Park.
The park's trustees had increased the metered hours - which had been set from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. for years - to 7 a.m. until midnight. Lipton had previously requested the selectmen discuss the issue with the Ellis Park trustees. However, the trustees were unavailable to take part in the board's June 26 meeting.
During that meeting, the selectmen reached a consensus to ask Yandow to research the issue based on the concerns of business owners recovering from the May storms and gearing up for the busy July 4 weekend.
On Friday, June 30, just in time for the arrival of weekend visitors to the beach, Yandow notified the selectmen and the media that the issue had been resolved.
Yandow explained that in addition to researching the relationship between Ellis Park and the town, he had enlisted the Maine Municipal Association's advice.
Yandow reviewed historical information related to the beach and the park - some stretching back to the 1880s - as well as such information as 1977 York Beach Village Corporation Ordinances related to the consolidation of York Beach and York.
"As a result of my review, I found no evidence of any document authorizing the Police Department to enforce meter violations at Ellis Short Sands Park between the hours of 9 p.m. and 9 a.m.," Yandow said.
All the ordinances, he said, allow metered parking only from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m..
As of Friday afternoon, Yandow met with members of the Ellis Short Sands Park Board of Trustees to share his research and the information regarding metered parking in the beach.
"All three of the trustees readily accepted what I presented to them and admitted that they had misinterpreted the ordinances and their ability to increase the hours of meter operation," Yandow wrote in his memorandum to the Board of Selectmen. "Additionally, they were very open to a public process to gather input as to the best way to generate the revenue necessary to operate and maintain Ellis Short Sands Park."
Selectmen Vice Chairman Dwight Bardwell, who had spoken out against the unexpected increase in metered parking hours at the selectmen's June 26 meeting but had also offered praise for the work the Ellis Park trustees do to bring such benefits to the town as public use of the park, was among those who praised Yandow's work.
Bardwell, who had asked for a public process on the issue of parking, said he was pleased the trustees were willing to work together in the future.
"I look forward to the discussion with the trustees," Bardwell said in response to Yandow's announcement. "My entire goal in all of this is to figure out a public process for dealing with these issues in the future."
As of Friday, the hours of meter enforcement and operation at Ellis Park returned to the span of 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. only.
State-mandated growth ordinance to be on the agenda
The Board of Selectmen will be delving into another hot button issue as early as next week: the Residential Growth Ordinance.
Town Planner Steve Burns noted in his most recent Planning Department report that the board is scheduled to review a proposal related to the new state law, Legislative Document 1535, which will govern how municipalities can handle growth caps.
A Board of Selectmen agenda has not yet been set, but Burns said he anticipates the issue may be addressed as early as the board's July 10 meeting.
Contact Associate Editor Jennifer L. Saunders at jsaunders@yorkindependent.net.
