RAYMOND – After nearly two years of deliberation, the Raymond Planning Board has denied the town of Frye Island’s application to construct a proposed park-and-ride facility on Raymond Cape.

The lot proposal, which would have removed acres of trees near the southern end of Raymond Cape across from the Frye Island ferry access road, was fiercely opposed by nearby residents.

According to Danielle Loring, Raymond’s code enforcement office administrative assistant, on March 19 the board voted 4-1-1 to deny the application, with Greg Foster opposed and Ben Crowder in abstention.

In a lengthy finding of fact, the board denied the application on the grounds that the proposed four-way intersection with Cape Road and Ferry Landing Road is unsafe and that the proposed parking lot is too small.

According to Loring, the town of Frye Island has a 30-day window in which it can appeal the decision. If Frye Island substantially modifies the application, Loring said, it could immediately re-submit the application. If not, the town will have to wait a year to submit the application again, she said.

Wayne Fournier, Frye Island’s town manager, could not be reached for comment by the Lakes Region Weekly’s deadline.

The town of Frye Island submitted an application to the Planning Board to build the 43-car parking lot in mid-2012. The proposed parking lot and ring road was designed to reduce traffic backup on Cape Road during busy periods such as holiday weekends. Construction for the proposed project was planned for 25 acres of undeveloped land that the town of Frye Island purchased in 2005 for $260,000.

According to the board’s finding of fact, the proposed parking lot and four-way intersection would have created a “safety concern.”

“That new intersection would have vehicles and pedestrians crossing in all directions and would also have two nearby drop-off spots for the unloading of passengers and luggage,” the decision reads. “In addition, the project would introduce a greater number of trips to the Quarry Cove Road entrance, which introduces a greater impact on the private road for trip impacts and turning movement safety. Due to the four-way intersection and new traffic movement to the one-way entrance and exit, the project will not maintain safe and healthful conditions. Rather, the project will make that area of Raymond Cape less safe.”

Another major Planning Board concern was that the proposed parking lot was too small.

“According to the applicant, approximately 55 residents will use the parking lot to store a mainland vehicle and 25 spaces will be of demand on the weekends,” the decision reads. “A 43-space parking lot is therefore not adequately sized for the proposed use and will fail to remedy the current concern of vehicle parking along the side of Cape Road. Therefore, the project is not in conformance with the provisions of Section 15, Land Use Standards.”

In March 2013, the Friends of Raymond Cape, a citizens’ group that opposed the Frye Island application, filed a lawsuit demanding that the Raymond selectmen call for a moratorium on all applications for major site plan review within the town’s shoreland rural and recreational zones for at least 180 days. The moratorium, according to the suit, would last until the town had issued a warrant to amend those zones, and bring them into compliance with their interpretation of the town’s comprehensive plan.

After the Superior Court dismissed the Friends of Raymond Cape’s complaint, the group appealed the decision. On March 6, the court dismissed the appeal, but also rejected a joint motion from the towns of Raymond and Frye Island that the Friends of Raymond Cape, having filed a “frivolous” appeal, provide the towns with funds for legal fees and other costs.

According to Barb Lovell, a member of the Friends of Raymond Cape, the group is “content” with the board’s decision.

“We’re just waiting with baited breath to see what Frye’s approach to this denial will be,” Lovell said. “They’ve got options and we don’t know what they are – of course, they’re not tipping us off.”