Following a lengthy public hearing, and a slim vote against implementing parking fees at Fort Williams Park, the Town Council voted 5-2 on Aug. 14 to set the question to a November referendum.

Formal language of the referendum will be voted on by the council at their meeting Sept. 11.

Residents filled the Town Hall chamber to speak against a proposals to charge non-residents to park at Fort Williams. The proposal calls for installing solar-powered meters that would accept payment for park visitors to park within Fort Williams. The machine would issue a ticket or sticker that visitors would display on their vehicles.

A motion for the proposal, which failed by a 3-4 vote, was the latest on a matter that has historically been strongly opposed by citizens and elected officials alike. The last public discussion was in the spring of 2003, when after a public forum only two of seven councilors indicated they would support entrance fees at Fort Williams. Click here for news story.

On Aug. 14, however, the pay/display proposal to charge non-residents to park at Fort Williams was favored by councilors Mary Ann Lynch, who chaired a working group which drafted the proposal; Cynthia Dill; and, Anne Swift-Kayatta. It was Swift-Kayatta who put for the idea to send the matter to referendum, saying it had come from discussions with a citizen.

Lynch, who has long supported tapping the revenue potential of Fort Williams, said she too would favor a referendum vote. "I think it would bring closure," she said.

Opposing the referendum were Councilors Carol Fritz and Michael Mowles. Unlike Lynch, Fritz said the issue never seems to get finalized and never seems to go away. The idea of charging fees at Fort Williams, she said, "is no more neighborly on the ballot than it is up here tonight."

Mowles also said he did not using town resources on a referendum that will be a fore-gone conclusion. Mowles said he had received only one email favoring the pay/display proposal, while the rest has been a deluge of disfavor. "I think it's been clear what the people want," said Mowles.

The majority of councilors, however, agreed with Councilor Paul McKenney that such a divisive issue, that comes up again and again, should go to referendum.

Several councilors pointed out that a number of citizens said during budget hearings that the Town should look to Fort Williams as a source of revenue. "I think people should be able to choose," said McKenney.

The referendum would be advisory and not binding on the council.

The council did not set another public hearing on the matter, but they did agree to put the pay/display proposal on the November ballot. "I would say that a vote in November is the ultimate public hearing," said Councilor Anne Swift-Kayatta.

CETV, Cape Elizabeth's public-access station that normally broadcasts council meetings, was unable to air or record the hearing due to techncial difficulties. No re-broadcast will be shown.

Previous stories:

• Hearing set on Fort Williams parking-fee system proposal (06/13/06)
• Fort Williams Pay/Display working group sets first meeting (05/05/06)
• Working groups to eye traffic-calming; possible 'pay/display' system for Fort Williams Park (04/11/06)
• Consensus shows lack of support for Fort Williams entrance fees (03/14/03)

Related links:

• Links to the Fort Williams Master Plan update, and to the Goddard Mansion Condition Assessment and Analysis, can be found on our town documents page