WESTBROOK – An engineering firm has been chosen to study the possibility of a new public parking lot on the north side of the Presumpscot River in Westbrook, one that could open up parking for customers of businesses in the Dana Warp Mill.

The potential project would be constructed on city-owned land between the St. Anthony’s parking lot and the Presumpscot River, or at an unused portion of the Lincoln Street skating rink lot.

City officials say the additional public parking could be leased by the Dana Warp Mill for mill businesses to use for employee parking, opening up the limited on-street parking available at the mill for customers.

On July 7, the Westbrook City Council awarded a bid for the work to Milone & MacBroom of Portland for $16,800, with the two parties holding a “kick-off” meeting last week that included a timeline for the site survey to begin.

City Engineer Eric Dudley said Tuesday that a preliminary site survey will begin in the next few weeks, one that will focus on locating catch basins, slopes, and existing pavement edges.

“They basically go out and pick up existing conditions, and from that the engineers will develop the design,” he said.

The design study will include cost estimates and the potential number of new spaces that could be constructed.

According to Jerre Bryant, Westbrook’s city administrator, the project is focused on the land adjacent to St. Anthony’s, but, he said, as an alternative, the project will also include the same engineering and design work done on the unused portion of the city’s skating rink lot on Lincoln Street.

Bryant said including the Lincoln Street study would “provide us with options and cost comparisons for the development of either or both lots to create additional parking for the area.”

The two potential locations for expanded parking were discussed and referred to the council by the Facilities and Streets Committee at its meeting on June 16. Funding for the engineering and design work is included in the city’s 2014-15 Capital Improvement Plan.

A study completed in December 2006 concluded that Westbrook needs additional public parking in the area of Bridge Street and the Dana Warp Mill to “open up on-street parking located closer to the businesses for customers, clients, and vendors.”

The study, known as the Westbrook Downtown Parking Study/Management Plan, identified city-owned land at the end of Dana Court, between the existing St. Hyacinth’s (now St. Anthony’s) parking lot and the Presumpscot River.

The study concluded that while there was an overall surplus of parking spaces in the downtown area, based on occupancy of downtown buildings, the Bridge Street and Dana Warp Mill area suffered the greatest lack of parking.

“In general, it is the way these parking spaces are utilized that creates the public perception of a parking deficit,” the report states. “Many of these parking spaces are used by employees or others who are parked for long periods of time, such as all day.”

According to Bryant’s memo, the city has since explored the potential for developing parking on the lot with the Portland Water District, which owns adjacent property that could also be converted to parking, and the Catholic Diocese, which is interested in the potential for a shared parking agreement to benefit the church, city and area residents.

According to Bryant, the city has discussed the project with mill owner Alexsandar Cook, who expressed interest in leasing parking spaces in a new lot for employees of businesses in the building.

The 2006 study estimated that a new lot adjacent to the church would provide about 65 spaces.

Working with the diocese, parking would be installed next to the church’s existing lot, and would create a joint venture for St. Anthony’s and the city. Parking in the church lot would be made available to businesses and residents when use by the church is low, and in exchange, would offer the church the use of the new lot during peak parking needs, such as on weekends and holidays.

Daniel Freund, the president of Common Census, a software company based in the Dana Warp Mill, said Tuesday that there is “barely enough parking for the tenants that are in the mill,” but that he’s not sure a St. Anthony’s lot is the best solution.

“It would be disappointing to see nice neighborhood space relegated to surface parking,” he said, adding that he believes the city should focus on getting the greatest parking potential from existing lots on both sides of the river.

“Quite a bit more analysis should be done,” he said.

Dave Guthro, communications director for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, said last week that the parish, and the diocese, approve of the project.

“From a diocesan standpoint, any time a parish and a municipality can enter into an agreement that is mutually beneficial, while agreeing to address any conflicts that might emerge, in a spirit of community, is wonderful,” he said.

Bryant has said the additional parking could also solve another problem for that section of Westbrook’s downtown – snow ban parking.

Dudley added Tuesday that the goal for eventual construction is spring or summer of 2015.