A Route 27 parking ban may lead to a new home for Trucks A-Go which featured several mobile food vendors last winter. In April, Boothbay selectmen imposed a Route 27 parking ordinance which bans parking from Adams Pond Road’s northern to southern sections. Lester Spear hosted the event last winter which featured the food trucks and an ice palace on his property. During the Sept. 8 selectmen’s meeting, he asked when the no parking signs would appear on Route 27.

Town Manager Dan Bryer responded the process was delayed due to the town waiting for a response from the municipal attorney. Bryer believed “there would be a quick turnaround” once final details are worked out between the attorney and Maine Department of Transportation. “They will be displayed prior to November. We are just waiting to hear from Sally (Daggett, town attorney) and DOT,” he said.

Spear told selectmen if the signs weren’t displayed by November, he would likely continue his Trucks A-Go enterprise at his Wiscasset Road location. But Selectman Steve Lewis proposed another location. He urged Spear to consider Boothbay Common. 

“It’s a more practical location,” Lewis said. “You have more visibility, more parking and for snowstorms, it’s plowed. You have the restrooms and power. I think it’s a perfect spot.” Spear agreed Boothbay Common had several advantages over his current location. He later asked what he needed to operate at the Common during Gardens Aglow, which runs Nov. 18 to Jan. 1. Bryer told him a mobile vendor’s license and a common user’s permit which included a refundable $100 fee.

“It’s pretty simple. If you and the vendors clean up afterwards, we refund the $100,” Bryer said. 

Spear told selectmen the proposal sounded promising, but he wanted to think more about it. Spear also said if he moved the event, he wouldn’t include the ice sculpture at the Common. 

A proposed ban emerged in March after selectmen received multiple complaints about parked vehicles along both sides of Route 27. Residents complained about dangerous traffic conditions from motorists’ overflow parking visiting the ice palace and food trucks. Spear opposed the ordinance and countered with slower posted speeds in addressing traffic safety.

During the Sept. 8 meeting, Chairman Dale Harmon told Spear the board strongly supported his business enterprise, but had concerns about the Route 27 location. “I know in the past you thought this board was against you, but I want to make it clear. We’ve always supported the event,” he said. “If you change the location, you’d get a lot more support from the board.”

In other action, Bryer updated selectmen about the sidewalk project connecting Clifford Park to Boothbay Region YMCA. The project began 11 years ago, and has endured several delays before resuming sometime this month. Bryer reported he attended an Aug. 26 pre-construction meeting with Boothbay Harbor Town Manager Julia Latter, Ranger Construction of Fairfield and Sebago Technics of South Portland. “It should start soon. I was trying to be a sponge learning everything I needed to know about it,” he said. 

Boothbay completed its portion in 2017. The current construction will build a sidewalk from BRYMCA to Pinkham’s Gourmet Market and install a conduit so lights may be added in the future. 

The project will resume this month. Nov. 20 is the projected completion date. 

Selectmen meet next at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22 in the conference room.