by Gretchen Webster
In the wake of the Planning and Zoning Commission’s dissatisfaction with the loss of spaces in the proposed redesign of the Parker Harding lot – the Downtown Plan and Implementation Committee (DPIC) is struggling to create the missing 40 spaces in other lots downtown.
The P&Z commissioners’ opinions pro and con on the Parker Harding plan “was decided on party lines,” Randy Herbertson, chairman of the DPIC told his commission on Thursday. Although the DPIC and its consultants have been working to add spaces, “we still did not come up with the magic 40 number,” Herbertson said.
“Net zero”
The P&Z had approved an 8-24 land use report in April 2024 for the project, but only with the requirement that the 40 spaces be added back to achieve net zero loss of parking spaces, according to Michelle Perillie, director of Planning and Zoning. Regaining some spaces near Taylor Place, in the Police Department lot in the Jesup Green area, and by changing some 15-minute quick-stop spaces into longer timed spaces will help make up the deficit, Herbertson said. “Pete [Ratkiewich, director of Public Works] and I are looking at maps. We think we will be able to get back to net zero,” Herbertson told his commission.
Imperial lot improvement
In the meantime, while working to find more parking spaces in the downtown core, plans for the Imperial Avenue lot will go forward, Herbertson said. The Imperial lot plans call for the large lot to be regraded, repaved and restriped, with additional ADA handicapped accessible spaces added. The plan also calls for restrooms to be added there. The Imperial lot plans “are the least expensive of all the projects,” Herbertson said.
Accessible restrooms, and constructing an ADA compliant way to cross over the stream between the Imperial lot and the library and Levitt Pavilion have also been under consideration for a while, Ratkiewich added.
State to improve safety at 11 intersections
A bright spot in the DPIC meeting was Ratkiewich’s announcement that the state DOT is
planning to continue safety improvements on Route 1.
The state is nearing the conclusion of improvements on the eastern portion of Post Road East (from Bulkley Ave. to Maple Ave. and from Hillspoint/Roseville Roads to Crescent Road).
The state is planning to upgrade a series of intersections along Post Road East and West closer to downtown. They include the intersection of the Post Road East with
- Main Street
- Myrtle Avenue
- Church Lane
- Parker Harding Plaza
- Compo Acres
The intersection of King’s Highway South and Post Road West–and others–
Improving pedestrian safety along the Post Road was one of the main “key strategic visions” of the DPIC “Reconnecting the Riverfront” project, Herbertson noted. “Parking lot reinvention was the first goal, and pedestrian safety was number two.”
Real-time status parking spot availabilities
Tom Kiely, operations director, said that signs containing a QR code will be installed downtown. The code will link to a downtown Westport parking site that will show motorists, in real time, empty parking spaces, handicapped spaces, EV charging spaces and bike racks. “People always think spots are farther than they are,” he said.
Following their pre-app meeting with the P&Z on Parker Harding, Herbertson said the DPIC will schedule a pre-app meeting to present the proposed Imperial lot changes, and then another pre-app meeting for the Jesup Green area.
Taking parking from in front of one store and putting it in front of another, how fair for the owner of the building.
We have to remember dpic is only advisory, political appointees, they have no actual authority.
While DPIC struggles to find 40 parking spaces, this is not the actual problem we the merchants have with the overall plan. It’s the shrunken, non angled spots we are concerned with. It’s the mindset of a bunch of croneys who haven’t a clue how retail works ! None of them owners of retail or restaurants.
I never could understand the magic number being 40.
Because while 40 ISH I think it’s more like 50 is their magic number, lost from Parked Harding, we lost 50 spots just a year earlier in the Baldwin lot when they were allowed redo it. Add those on.
We lost 22 all summer on church lane, because of closing the road. Add those in.
We lost 6 in Sigrid lot when a landlord sequestered those for their lessees, because of a “deal” done which they did not comply with.
So it’s 100 spots in reality. Throw in 3rd or second floor retail..
I mean 40 spots is just rubbish. The tip of the iceberg.
As for the vote on PZ being along “party lines” what is that supposed to mean ?
Other than the democrats are not trying to cause a parking apocalypse.
Really parking? Party lines ?
No, it’s that parking is a nightmare, and to think it can be solved by turnover is just pig headed.
We the merchants do NOT want turnover. Turnover is the enemy of retail.
We want our customers to be able to come and eat and shop or shop and eat, buy a coffee, buy some chocolates, see a new store and go in.
That is what works for retail and restaurants.
But again, almost 4 years into this administration and thousands of wasted dollars on “experts” who don’t have the first clue how this gets solved, we are no better off.. we are talking about adding parking outside Basso- a disaster for basso.
Closing Taylor place.. nooooo a nightmare.
What is this ? Just one more ridiculous idea after the next.
Leave Taylor place alone.
It does not need to be closed.
What are we doing here?
Church lane should not be closed. Maybe on weekends labor to memorial.
But even that quite frankly is a nuisance.
In an ideal world sure, these ideas might be great but in the greater scheme they do not work.
We are losing merchants to beat the band.
They just can’t survive in this parking disaster.
The drone shots of available parking just prove to us that customers have given up on Westport.
They see easier alternatives in nearby towns.
Not one member of DPIC, has come to ever speak with the merchants, who are arguably the investors in the downtown, and as such the predominant stakeholders.
DPIC comprises folks with agendas.
And YES MEN for Tooker.
If the administration wants to fix the parking issue, then tell staff of all businesses closest to imperial and the senior centre to park there ! All including library and police and EMS.
Tell Main Street employees to park at the town hall ( until it’s full) and after that do a parking sticker system so staff do not get parking fines.
There are solutions.
And the one on the table is not a good one.
Speak to the stakeholders( the merchants paying the property tax, and making investments)
Forget the “experts” and wasting our tax dollars for rubber stamps.
Stop filling committees with croneys.
ENOUGH ALREADY.
Give us the parking deck at Balwin already. This would help us all, it’s already paved over and is central for both retail and dining options.
The inaction of this admin is embarrassing.
A question for Randy Herberston……How many parking spots are you counting in your revised plan? How many would be considered Small Car Spaces (8×16) per the below defintion from the zoning regs, and how many Standard Spots (9×18)? Asking for 26,000 friends…..
§34 OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING
Revised 08-05-16
34-9 Small Car Spaces
The applicant may provide a limited number of small car spaces in accordance with the following standards:
34-9.1
The applicant shall prepare and submit a preliminary parking layout plan based on a Class A-2 Survey showing the minimum number of required parking spaces based on the standard dimensions of a 9 feet x 18 feet, as well as parking, front and buffer landscaping areas, lighting, loading area and refuse disposal areas.
34-9.2
Up to twenty (20) percent of the minimum number of required parking spaces may be allocated for small cars and correspondingly reduced in size subject to the approval of a small car parking layout plan. A small car space (stall) shall not be less than 8 feet in width and 16 feet in stall length.
34-9.3
The differences in the parking area between small and standard sized spaces (stalls) shall be computed, shown as additional landscape areas and landscaped on the small car parking layout.
34-9.4
The small car spaces shall be laid out in groups and marked with “Small Car Only” free-standing or wall signs not to exceed one (1) square feet each.