The City of Biddeford is moving forward with plans to improve parking in the downtown and mill districts.

Since approving $100,000 for a parking feasibility study last year, the city council has now received information from that study and is considering what the data mean.

At a recent meeting, Winton Scott of Winton Scott Architects in Portland presented information from the study about parking in the city. He also presented a parking management plan that included conceptual plans for two parking garages, one in the downtown and one in the mill district.

Scott said that, despite belief to the contrary, they found there is currently more than enough parking in the downtown. According to the data, between public and private parking in the downtown, there are 1,427 parking spots. Based on existing land use, said Scott, only 1,227 spots are currently needed in the area, leaving a surplus of 200 spaces.

This claim was disputed by some business owners, and we imagine that the real issue is access and difficulty in easily locating parking, as well as the look and walkability of the downtown.

The Town of Kennebunk completed a major overhaul of the look of its downtown last year to help increase the pedestrian friendliness as well as the parking and flow of traffic. Now, the crosswalks and parking spaces are clearly marked and the town eliminated its “sea of asphalt” issue with brick pavers, granite curbs and planters. An outdoor café area was also installed, which allows pedestrians a space to sit and relax in nice weather.

Biddeford could definitely benefit from a similar makeover and take the opportunity to improve parking by clearly marking parking areas and pedestrian areas. Using coordinated signs would help direct visitors to parking lots off of Main Street, and allow those people to walk back and enjoy the downtown.

Although the amount of parking in the downtown is sufficient, the study did find that the mill district lacks adequate parking.

Scott estimated that with a total build-out of the mill district, about 2,600 spaces would be needed. Only about 500 spaces exist today. He presented several conceptual plans of parking structures for the mill district that could be done in phases, based on need.

These plans will need to be carefully considered by the city and residents. Parking is necessary for business to expand in the mill district, and if the city wants to see further growth and a wider tax base, investing in a parking garage will likely be a necessity. If Biddeford does nothing, businesses that are interested in the area may choose to locate elsewhere due to the lack of parking, especially if other towns and cities are willing to make changes to entice those businesses.

The City of Lewiston, for example, built three parking structures in its downtown and mill district between 2000 and 2010, according to former City Administrator James Bennett. During that time, there was about 900,000 square feet of space made into new business or was redeveloped; more than 1,100 new jobs were created; nearly $224 million was spent in new investment; and more than $1.3 million in new, annual property taxes went into city coffers.

Biddeford has made lots of encouraging progress in the downtown and mill district, and we hope residents and city councilors will see the benefits of continuing to invest in infrastructure and improvements. More new businesses and residents who call the city home will equate to more opportunities for current residents and economic growth for the future.

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Today’s editorial was written by City Editor Robyn Burnham on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.