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Lewiston board approves Masjid Salam parking expansion amid neighbor objections
Summary
The Planning Board approved a 5,000‑square‑foot parking expansion and occupancy increase at Masjid Salam (240 Bartlett St.) with conditions after residents and nearby businesses raised sight‑distance, traffic and access concerns; the motion passed 6‑1 with Commissioner Michael Marcotte voting no.
The Lewiston Planning Board on March 11 approved Masjid Salam’s application to expand its parking lot at 240 Bartlett Street by about 5,000 square feet and to raise the building’s occupancy limit to 192 people, subject to conditions requiring adjustments to the dumpster location, engineering certifications and a plan for how the mosque will regulate occupancy.
City planning staff said the property’s prior 2012 approval limited occupancy to 94 people because parking was the limiting factor; staff explained the applicant’s proposed plan shows roughly 60 parking spaces (staff noted the dumpster relocation could reduce that to 59) and that ordinance calculations for religious assembly (using 10 sq ft per person when fixed seating is absent) would require 48 spaces for a 192‑person occupancy. Staff also summarized a traffic review (Haley Ward) that estimated an increase of about 35 peak trips and the city’s subsequent request to MDOT, which determined a traffic‑impact permit was not required.
During public comment abutters and nearby business owners sharply criticized the submitted plans and raised safety and enforcement concerns. Dennis Terrio, who identified himself as owner of properties on Bartlett Street, provided photographs and alleged there were conflicting plan versions and disputed the sight‑distance figures, saying in part, “Photos don’t lie.” Nearby business owner Matthew Theriault said repeated weekend parking blocks his company’s driveway and that he had documented revenue losses, telling the board he lost $30,000 from an incident where his heavy‑rescue equipment could not leave the yard.
The applicant’s architect, Dan Moreno, said the team was "totally accommodating to the 5 recommendations of staff." Staff recommended conditions including relocating the dumpster outside the required setback and updating parking counts, requiring a stamped engineer certification that stormwater and site improvements meet approved plans before a certificate of occupancy, and obligating the applicant to provide materials showing how occupancy will be regulated.
Board member (speaker 16) moved to approve the application with the conditions listed in staff’s memo; on roll call the motion passed 6‑1, with Michael Marcotte voting no and citing life‑safety, neighborhood impact and over‑intensification concerns. The approval limits occupancy to 70 persons in the northern portion and 122 in the southern portion for a total of 192, and requires evidence of an approved occupancy‑control plan before issuance of a building permit.
