BELFAST, Maine — City officials have approved the necessary permits for a waterfront developer to convert the Consumer’s Fuel and French & Webb buildings on the downtown harbor into an expanded marina, restaurant and more.
After more than a year of negotiations and delays, developer Paul Naron has ceded access to the Belfast Harbor Walk, which crosses his Front Street properties.
The easements were a sticking point for the city in order to complete the more than 3-mile public pedestrian path that extends from City Point all the way to the Belfast Boathouse.
“We got something that the citizens of Belfast have wanted for decades, and that is a permanent easement through that area. This ties the Harbor Walk and makes it complete,” Mayor Eric Sanders said. “That is a wonderful thing for many people.”
Three years ago, when Naron purchased the waterfront properties, he cut through a timber barrier to allow pedestrians to move freely between Heritage Park and Steamboat Landing Park.
But city councilors wanted an assurance that the pathway would always remain accessible to the public and pushed for a permanent agreement.
Last October, the council seemed on the verge of striking a deal with Naron after months of intense negotiations — but in the 11th hour, he changed his mind.
BDN efforts to reach Naron were not successful, but according to the agreement, Naron will be permitted to open a restaurant in both buildings, construct up to four residential units in one building and expand the wharf to as many as 90 slips. He will be required to provide 64 parking spaces, fewer than what’s normally mandated by the city. The deal will preserve the view from Naron’s site by banning the development of permanent structures on neighboring properties.