FACT SHEET* ADVERSE EFFECTS ON WISCASSET OF MDOT’S OPTION 2 PROJECT THE PROJECT’S DAMAGE TO THE TOWN’S HISTORIC SETTING MDOT’s own historic consultant concluded that the Town’s historic setting includes onstreet parking.1 Maine Preservation listed Downtown Wiscasset as one of its 2017 Most Endangered Historic Places because of the Option 2 Project.2 Federal historic preservation standards, which are incorporated into Wiscasset’s Historic Preservation Ordinance, recommend against widening existing streets and altering the historic relationship of the street setting with the abutting buildings.3 MDOT does not intend to apply for an historic preservation certificate of appropriateness from the Town before constructing the Project.4 THE PROJECT’S DAMAGE TO THE TOWN’S ECONOMY “Numerous studies in communities across the nation have proven that parking not located directly within downtown areas has a major negative impact on businesses”.5 The Option 2 Project “will have a devastating impact on the viability of businesses”.6 Before the June 2016 referendum vote on the Project, MDOT instructed its engineering consultant to delete from its Report its references to the Project’s negative effects on the Town, including the consultant’s conclusion that the Project would cause “severe impacts” to the Town’s businesses.7 THE PROJECT’S COST TO THE TOWN’S TAXPAYERS MDOT’s policy requires towns to pay 10% of construction and maintenance costs, unless there is some other written, local/state cost sharing agreement. Its policy states: “For projects to which this policy applies, written Local Cost-Sharing Agreements consistent with this policy will be developed during the project scoping process and executed prior to programming the project in a MaineDOT Work Plan for design or construction. In the absence of such an agreement, the municipality shall be responsible for 10% of the total project cost (including the Highway or Bridge portion).”8 ___________ * By Chester (“Rick”) Chellman, P.E., L.L.S. and Robert S. Hark, Esq., on behalf of Wawenock LLC, Bermuda Isles, LLC, 48 Federal Street, LLC and 32 Middle Street LLC. Mr. Chellman has 30+ years’ experience in traffic engineering. He has prepared traffic impact, street design and parking analyses for projects through-out the United States, and in such countries as Canada, China, and Russia. He has received awards for his work; is the author of notable books and manuals; and is a frequent lecturer at universities and professional conferences. Attorney Hark has served as attorney for Maine cities and towns through-out his forty years of practicing law in Maine. He has litigated over 30 cases to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court; has served for many years on the Professional Ethics Commission of the Maine Bar, and has served as a member of the Judicial Selection Committee.
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