Forty-four fewer spaces in Parker Harding Plaza. Twenty more in the Imperial Avenue lot.
More greenery and walking paths at Imperial Avenue and Jesup Green — including turning Taylor Place into a pedestrian zone.
No parking garage at the Baldwin lot. At least, not yet.
Redesign of the Imperial Avenue parking lot. View is looking north, toward the pedestrian bridge to the Levitt Pavilion (left).
Those were key takeaways from last night’s Planning & Zoning Commission meeting.
Public Works Department director Pete Ratkiewich presented a pre-application to the commissioners, for the long-debated, oft-delayed downtown parking-and-more plan. (Click here for a link to construction and other materials for Parker Harding.)
It was a cordial meeting. Commissioners asked questions. Ratkiewich and Downtown Plan Implementation Committee chair Randy Herbertson answered them.
After nearly 2 hours, a consensus was reached: Officials will continue planning.
And the P&Z will welcome them back for another meeting.
Ratkiewich’s goal, he said, was to show that with a parking management strategy, downtown can withstand the loss of 44 “core” spaces. Meanwhile, he added, improved pedestrian and river access — and compliance (now lacking) with Americans with Disabilities Act standards — will make all of downtown more pleasant, and also more accessible.
Artist’s rendering of more green space by Jesup Green and the Saugatuck River.
The Public Works director’s appearance came a year after the Representative Town Meeting nixed a plan to add parking spaces by cutting into Jesup Green, sending planners back to the drawing board.
Plans on that drawing board now show enhancements to the “non-core” parking areas: Jesup Green and Imperial Avenue. Those include riverfront seating, connectivity between the 2 areas (including a mile-long pedestrian loop), and possible outdoor tables in the short area connecting the lower library parking lot with Post Road East.
Taylor Place could become a pedestrian area. View is from Post Road East, looking to the library. Tonic & Green is on the left.
Two benefits to that proposal: better integration between the “cultural” part of downtown and the shopping district, and better traffic flow on the Post Road, by removing that Taylor Place traffic light.
While the lower library (Taylor) lot would lose 10 parking spots — going from 75 spaces to 65 — those 10 would be reclaimed by reconfiguring parking on Jesup Road.
Renovations to the Imperial Avenue lot would include 16 more parking slots, a bathroom and storage space, a walkway with kayak launch, and bike racks.
Improvements to the Imperial Avenue lot include walkways and (rear) a bathroom.
The third part of Ratkiewich’s presentation involved Parker Harding. A parking study — conducted last year during late summer, mid-fall and the holiday season — showed that downtown parking is most full only during a 2-hour period, Ratkiewich said: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (Click here for the parking study.)
That “2-hour parking problem” could be managed, he said, with a “proper parking plan.”
The best option, he noted, is modifying parking times — something that has already been done. Off-street parking is now 3 hours; previously, there were 2- and 3-hour limits. The average shopper spends 2-3 hours downtown, Ratkiewich said.
On-street parking — primarily Main Street — is now 2 hours. “That’s only a small percentage” of all available parking, Ratkiewich said.
The impacts of those changes are being evaluated.
Planned improvements to the lower library (Taylor) parking lot.
There are a few changes proposed for Parker Harding. They include improved entrances and exits; perpendicular parking, and 7 ADA-compliant spots
As for a parking deck: Consultants said the Baldwin lot (off Elm Street) is the only feasible location. A 1-level deck would cost $5 million; the “best bang for the buck” is 3 levels, for $10 million.
But, Ratkiewich said, a deck would address only “the problem of 2 hours, at peak time.”
His and DPIC’s recommendations, following up on the current Phase 1 (adjust parking times, and monitor effects), in this order:
- Metered parking in high-demand areas (to incentivize free parking outside those areas)
- Selling permits to employees, for all-day parking
- A parking structure, only if the above steps do not work.
Parker Harding would be the first priority, followed by the Imperial Avenue lot. Jesup Green would be third.
P&Z commissioners’ comments were muted. Amy Wistreich praised the “holistic approach” and walking paths, but cautioned against lifting previous restrictions until the plan is complete.
Michael Cammeer said, “You’re on to something. Let’s try to mitigate any controversy.”
And Michael Calise noted, “If we can get 30 employees to park outside the core, that will solve the problem.”
