By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

When residents and visitors to Cedar Drive attempt to pull out of the street onto Route 302, it can be a “white knuckle” moment.

A proposed change to the town’s Traffic Ordinance could improve driver visibility by limiting parking near Cedar Drive, which is a short distance from the Moose Pond boat launch area.

Leonard Rudin, chairman of the Ordinance Review Committee, and ORC member Deb Brusini outlined the proposed change to the Select Board at their May 14 meeting.

The group looked at creating no parking areas after the town received complaints from the public. Several Cedar Drive residents reached out to Select Board member Carrye Castleman-Ross last year about the problem of vehicles and boat trailers parking in the breakdown lane.

“I did go down there in the summertime just to gauge what it was like to try to take a left to head back to town from Cedar Drive. It is a knuckle biter. You cannot see any cars coming. You have an absolute visual obstruction. If there’s a car coming and you can’t see it, they won’t have time to stop,” Castleman-Ross said. “There’s no way to even inch out because there’s really not much of a shoulder.”

Castleman-Ross told the board if she lived on Cedar Drive, she would likely take a right onto Route 302, travel the short distance and pull into the West Bridgton Fire Station parking lot, and then make a right to head toward town.

“I believe that their concerns were definitely fair,” she added.

She painted a similar picture, noting how difficult it is to exit the TD Bank parking area on Main Street due to visual obstructions caused by vehicles parked in front of the bank.

“You have to inch out there too. You can’t see, and that’s a 20-mph zone. I’ve almost been hit there,” she said. “If you can’t see with people going 20 mph, what’s it like when people are going 55 miles an hour (on Route 302 near Cedar Drive)? There is no simple, perfect solution to this.”

The proposal is to create a 495-foot no parking area on either side of Route 302 at the Cedar Drive entrance. “No Parking” signs would be installed to delineate the zone.

Selectman Bob McHatton questioned where else will vehicles with boat trailers park when there is a major fishing derby on Moose Pond, coupled with others looking to launch other crafts on hot summer days?

Brusini said parking would be allowed on the south side of the Causeway, which wasn’t allowed before.

“You’re allowed to park on the right side or the south side of Route 302, and you can park on the north side of Route 302. From Cedar Drive to the Causeway is about 850 feet or so. You would still have close to 350 feet on the north side of Route 302 to park. You’re cutting out about 500 feet before Cedar Drive and 500 after,” she explained. “The issue really is one of safety because of the input we got. You just can’t see until you’re in the road. We did have various departments look at this. It’s a matter of somebody eventually going to get in an accident and get hurt.”

McHatton pointed out that there are other roadways off Route 302 as one approaches the Causeway, which motorists exiting those streets will continue to face parked vehicles and trailers.

“You’re not talking about the other driveways, you’re only concerned  about Cedar Drive because people have complained about it...You can say that’s the case (potential for crashes) on any road, somebody’s going to get hurt, somebody is going to have an accident. It’s been that way for I don’t know how many years. There haven’t been major accidents out there,” said McHatton, who works as a LEA boat inspector at the Moose Pond boat launch. “If you are going to park beyond 495 feet beyond Cedar Drive headed toward town to put your boat in Moose Pond, you’re causing a major hardship.”

One thought was whether the Police Chief could waive the no parking ban if a major fishing derby is scheduled.

Ultimately, the Select Board decides — this is not a town meeting action item — whether to include language in the ordinance to create the no parking zone near Cedar Drive, Brusini noted. Before a decision is rendered, officials could measure to determine how many cars with trailers can be parked within the proposed zone.

“The more Bob (McHatton) talks about the chronic conditions, then to me, the more dangerous it becomes not to have taken proper steps to prevent a possible accident. Being busy and chaotic with people taking pictures and people driving boat trailers, it seems like that would make it potentially an even more dangerous situation if we didn’t take care of the parking aspect of it,” Selectman Paul Tworog chimed in.

Initially, the Select Board was ready to act on the proposal, but McHatton suggested the item be placed on the next agenda, May 28, to give the public an opportunity to weigh in.

“It would only cost you two more weeks. I don’t think that would be too much of a burden on Cedar Drive, a driver or anybody else,” said McHatton, pointing out few knew the ordinance change was on the May 14 agenda.

Brusini felt by moving the issue to the May 28 meeting would also give the town time to officially post — meeting the standard 7-day requirement used to notify the public of hearings, etc. — that a proposed change to the Traffic Ordinance was in play.

The board agreed to place the item on the May 28 agenda.

Dangerous building hearing postponed

A public hearing regarding whether a South High Street home is a “dangerous building” was postponed when town officials were unable to notify the property owner.

Code Officer Brenda Day told the Select Boar that attempts to serve Howard J. Tucker, whose address is listed as Tenney Hill Road in Casco, were unsuccessful. So, the town will publish a public notice for three consecutive weeks prior to the June 25 hearing at 5 p.m.

Account created for Public Safety Building

One priority the Select Board put at the top of the infrastructure list is construction of a Public Safety Building. To get the ball rolling, officials revised the town’s Reserve Account Policy, adding a reserve account for a Public Safety Building, which would house fire, police and EMS.

Chair Carmen Lone suggested adding wording that would allow unanticipated revenue, as well as undesignated fund balance dollars and donations to be placed in this reserve account. The amended measure unanimously passed.

Short Takes

Jenna Domer, Deputy Finance Director, submitted her resignation effective Tuesday, May 14. The Deputy Finance Director’s position has been eliminated and replaced with a Finance Clerk position with the opportunity for advancement. Approximately 12 applications have been received and interviews are currently being held. 

Bid process for the Bridgton Sewer Main Extension Project has started. Work includes but is not limited to, installation of gravity sewer, force main, and package pump stations on Smith Avenue, Maple Street, Ballard Street, South High Street, Sustainable Way, Efficiency Way, and Route 302. Sealed bids will be accepted until 3 p.m. on Wednesday May 29. Sealed bids should be addressed to Nikki Hodgkins — “Bridgton Sewer Maine Extension Project” and returned to 3 Chase Street, Suite 1, Bridgton, ME 04009. The Bidding Documents may be obtained electronically. Contact Eric Petersson at 207-558-4274 or via e-mail at epetersson@woodardcurran.com for inquiries regarding this project, including obtaining an electronic copy of the Bidding Documents.

Police beat — Public Safety Officer Grace Gendron recently received certification in intelligence analysis and supervision. Officer Johnson is currently at Field Training Officer (FTO) training. Officer Lee graduated from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. The annual Special Olympics Torch Run is Wednesday, June 5 starting at the old Town Hall at 8 a.m.

Absentee ballots for the State Primary on June 11 are available. Municipal ballots for the secret ballot vote for Annual Town Meeting (also June 11) will be available as soon as the official ballots are received.  

Open burning reminder: Outside fires larger than 3’x3’ or when burning brush or yard debris require a burn permit.  These are available at no charge on the Maine Forest service website: maine.gov/burn permit;

Outside recreational fires (campfires) less than 3’x3’ do not require a permit;

Any outside fires must be attended by an adult at all times;

No outside burning may be conducted anytime there is a red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service;

Do not use any flammable liquids to ignite an outside fire.

Any questions can be addressed to Bridgton Fire Department at 647-8815 or the Maine Forest Service website.