YORK, Maine — Parking. Traffic flow. And parking again.
That was the refrain from several York Beach business owners Thursday at a Planning Board site walk of the Kearsarge House, which is expected to make way for the York Beach Residence Club fractional-share condominiums. Inn on the Blues owner Joe Lipton, The Goldenrod co-owner Rick Boston and Sweet Josie’s Candy Shoppe owner Jose Perez said they were supportive of the project overall, but that planners must spend more time thinking about potential parking and traffic issues.
Kearsarge House owners Elaine and Michael Morgillo plan to tear down the existing three-story building starting Sept. 21 and build a four-story structure with stores, a restaurant and an off-street loading dock on the first floor and 24 condos on the remaining floors. Under the fractional share concept, people would own their unit one week every six weeks throughout the year.
The Planning Board raised several issues at its last meeting, including building height, exterior building and window materials. But parking was on the minds of business owners who attended Thursday’s tour.
The Morgillos initially suggested two spaces on Ocean Avenue be set aside for pickup and dropoff of luggage, but have since said they do not want to cause concerns for beach businesses. The couple owns a parking lot across the street on Railroad Avenue that is behind existing storefronts, where condo owners will park while at their residences. The Morgillos said the owners will have to park in the lot and cart their luggage to the building without stopping even temporarily at any metered spaces.
Practically speaking, said Lipton, that may not happen. About 20 percent of the units are called “lockouts,” meaning the owner can stay in half the space and rent out the other half. Owners will also be able to rent their weeks. This, said Lipton, will create a flow of people who don’t necessarily know York Beach.
“Realistically, if you can’t see the parking lot and you don’t know York Beach, you’re going to drop off your stuff off at the beginning before you go park,” he said. “Safety is a big concern of mine. It’s extremely important.”
Lipton suggested the owners consider creating a pickup and dropoff area on Bay Street, a narrow roadway between Inn on the Blues and the Kearsarge House. He admits it would reduce the size the proposed restaurant, but said he felt the Planning Board should consider such an option.
While Lipton said he would not mind, alternately, if short-term parking spaces on Ocean Avenue were set aside for condo owners, Boston said he wants to see no changes to on-street parking.
“You’d be setting an awful precedent to take two public spots and dedicate them to a private business,” he said. “I love the project, but if you’re going to tear the building down and build something new, I would think you could come up with some sort of solution.”
Lipton reminded board members that decisions on the Kearsarge House would have ramifications for the entire York Beach business district. “You guys are on the forefront,” he said. “Whatever you decide, you have to make sure you allow everyone to do the same thing.”
Perez said he supported the project overall. “Long term, it’s going to be great,” he said, but agreed decisions made now will have lasting effects.
“I can’t believe that this can’t be simply solved to do what is best for the town and for the tourist economy,” he said. “Get business owners to sit down with the planners and maybe a selectman and come up with a solution to keep the patrons happy, No. 1, and the town happy.”
The Planning Board is expected to discuss the Kearsarge House at its Sept. 10 meeting.