Portland City Councilors on Monday night rejected a $9.3 million bid to expand surface parking at the Portland International Jetport.
The project called for the paving of new lots, adding a net total of 265 spaces to accommodate a growing number of Jetport travelers. Jetport officials have said expanded capacity is needed first, before a larger parking garage can be built on site.
But some Jetport neighbors — along with a coalition of environmental groups, including the Sierra Club of Maine, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine and the Portland Climate Action Team — have pushed back. They argued that parking lots do not conform with Portland's climate goals. Nearby residents also expressed concerns about the project's environmental impacts on nearby wetlands and trees that provide a buffer between the airport and the surrounding neighborhood. City councilors agreed.
"I truly believe that this is the best decision for the Jetport," said city councilor Wes Pelletier. "But I am not convinced that this is best decision for the city."
City councilors said they want Jetport officials to find another way to build a larger parking garage on site, without the paving.
"The term that kept being used is that the airport is land constrained. I have a hard time understanding how then that — if you're constrained on land — how does it make more sense to build out, create some parking lot sprawl, as opposed to building up?" said city councilor Sarah Michniewicz. "There would doubtless be disruption and displacement of parking in the interim of building a garage as opposed to expanding the lots. But... we don't really know what that would entail."
"Expanding surface parking lots is explicitly not what we want to do," she added.
The surface parking expansion has been under scrutiny from residents for nearly two years. Since then, Jetport officials have scaled the project back multiple times. Residents have asked whether the Jetport could raise parking rates to discourage drivers or provide shuttle service to existing under-utilized lots, such as at the Maine Mall.
The jetport has leased space at the Maine Mall before, but airport officials have said the mall is not interested in striking up another deal.
The Portland planning board had approved the surface parking expansion in January, with the condition that the Jetport would create a conservation easement on a portion of the property. But the Jetport still needed the city council to approve funds for the project, and on Monday night, councilors voted 6-2 to reject the funding.
Mayor Mark Dion was one of just two councilors who supported the surface parking expansion. The project serves more than just Portland, he argued.
"If it's good for the Jetport, it's good for the region," he said. "In my mind, we serve a regional economy."
The council did approve $5.5 million to install a battery storage system at the Jetport.
This story will be updated.
