Bangor Savings Bank has pulled an application to the town of Damariscotta for construction of a small park on about 20 feet of its parking lot behind its downtown location. A bank representative said the decision was made due to unclear public access rights in the parking lot and the uncertainty that the town could later accept a land donation there to provide a public launch with access to Great Salt Bay. (Elizabeth Walztoni photo)
Plans for a small park in the lot behind Bangor Savings Bank in downtown Damariscotta are not moving ahead.
Representing the bank, Developer David Latulippe withdrew its site plan application by email on Friday, Feb. 9, citing uncertainty from planning board members that the town would be able to accept a donation of land there due to “a lack of full public access to the lot.”
The bank had proposed turning about 20 feet of the paved lot behind its building, previously home to the now-demolished Damariscotta Bank and Trust office, into a small park. Park plans called for removing the pavement, slightly reducing the grade, replacing one bright light with several smaller ones, and adding riprap to the shoreline for erosion control.
Plans were made with the intent to offer a donation of land to the town, which if voters accepted it could have become a handicap accessible public launch to Great Salt Bay.
The application was tabled at a Feb. 5 planning board meeting after discussion with abutters during the public hearing. Some were concerned about how plans would take shape if the town accepted the donation, citing concerns about pedestrian safety, emergency vehicle access, and maintenance.
Board members had said those issues were not directly related to the application at hand and tabled it to review materials.
The lot’s complicated title history and questions of access also arose at the meeting and brought a possible legal challenge from an abutter. At this point, it is unclear who owns or can use certain portions of the lot, according to meeting materials.
“Bangor Savings is exploring an alternative parking lot layout,” Latulippe said in a Feb. 9 email to town officials.
