The city of Dunkirk has granted Wells Enterprises a temporary easement to use part of the Main Street right-of-way next to its property as it does an expansion.

“They need to move two boiler systems while they do their reconstruction, and also a glycol processing skid along Main Street as well,” City Attorney Michael Bobseine told the Common Council Tuesday. The council approved the easement.

“In talking with Wells… they will be encroaching a few feet onto the right-of -way, but please understand the right-of-way is separate from the driving lane,” Bobseine said. “There won’t be anything in the driving lane.”

The easement permit will be for a year and can be extended another year.

“That’s a heavily trafficked road and I was worried about the disruption of traffic going through there,” Councilwoman Nancy Nichols said.

Bobseine responded, “We don’t foresee that (project) being an issue on the Main Street side.” He said the only impact would be an occasional need for equipment to move down the street.

“We do need to work well with them because they are a beneficial company to the city with employment,” Nichols said.

Department of Public Works Director Randy Woodbury said the easement will be on the east side of Main Street, where there is no sidewalk. Pedestrians can use a sidewalk on the west side of the street, “well away from this.”

Woodbury added that Wells already occasionally puts dumpsters on the area in question, so the easement makes Wells’ use of the area official.