FARMINGTON – Selectmen approved the construction of parking and sidewalks upgrades to the center of West Farmington.
The project is estimated to cost $79,170 and will be paid for through the Farmington Downtown TIF (tax increment financing) fund account. The fund is expected to total from between $100,000 to $120,000 after the town’s tax commitment is set by selectmen in August.
TIF funds can be used for infrastructure upgrades within the designated district.
The upgrades of new sidewalks with granite curbing, additional parking and new street lighting around the triangular-shaped village park were recommended by the Downtown TIF Advisory Committee. Bids for the project will go out soon.
In another matter, selectmen were informed that voters will be asked at the annual town meeting to dedicate and accept Willow Springs Road as a town-owned and maintained road.
Currently, the privately-owned, 450-foot-long road, at the intersection at Fairbanks Road or Routes 4&27, leads into the Willow Springs housing development parking lot. The development which opened a few years ago provides housing for low to moderate income seniors and people with disabilities.
The road was built to town specifications with the idea of turning it over to the town as a public easement, said Town Manager Richard Davis. The housing developers, William Marceau and Byron Davis of Farmington Land LLC, may argue that the project provides substantial property tax revenue and is in the community’s interest to have affordable housing for lower income residents available, Davis added.
Selectman Matthew Smith said if the town were to take over maintaining the road he asked that kind of precedence would it set and how many more residents would want their road also maintained by the town.
Selectman Joshua Bell said the road “just goes into one place; it’s their driveway.”
Davis said he was against it. “Personally, I don’t like it. We have enough to take care of now.”
Richard Davis: “Personally, I don’t like it. We have enough to take care of now.”
Selectman Joshua Bell: …”the road “just goes into one place; it’s their driveway.”
Really? Private enterprise builds afforadable housing for the community and builds the access road to “town specifications with the idea of turning it over to the town as a public easement, said Town Manager Richard Davis” and “the project provides substantial property tax revenue and is in the community’s interest to have affordable housing for lower income residents available, Davis added”
You have got to be kidding me…
Oh no. There is barely enough room for those big trucks to take that corner when you are sitting there beside
the (Real Estate) office ! Agents car on the right, you in the middle, semi on the left pulling huge and long bed behind it ! Has to go one of two ways ! You get hit or he ends up taking somebody out on that (new sidewalk) !
Because as it is, they touch the grass over on the other side . Somebody wasn’t doing the math when they thought this up square footage wise ! Time will tell . Will be known as (Dead Mans Turn) ! Will look nice on the (TOURIST MAP) I am sure ! ; )
Taxpayers are strapped enough. We don’t need to be maintaining roads for private developers. Ridiculous to even consider the notion!
The town has enough to take care of now there are roads in town that havent been paved for quite a few years (mosher hill ramsdell savage rd ) they obviously cant afford another one !!!!!
Matt Smith has a great point especially considering the mess Farmington looks like now. Can you imagine if they had more roads to maintain?
I just came back from Auburn. Our roads are terrific. Very, very terrific.
I think the town ought to take and worry about other “problem” roads, such as Mine …Box shop hill, every year when there is a substantial rain, the sides of the road wash out and end up in my lower yard! I’m thinking culverts are to be a consideration, not to mention when the water gets to the bottom…. it doesn’t even touch the storm drain(just pools up across from it)