[SBC] Parking/land use question

Mon Jul 14 09:52:05 EDT 2008

Brian:

I agree that we shouldn't need to always wait for or get government to make
changes we'd like but they do need to at least agree with the policy and not
"get in the way". The parking issue is a good example. Somerville has a way
antiquated parking requirement that requires suburban amount of parking
without getting an exemption that is difficult to obtain except in the
middle of Davis Sq. For example, the MaxPak residential development asked
for a reduction from 1.5 to 1.2 (parking spaces per apartment). Their
consultant (an associate of Mark Chase, I forget his name at the moment)
showed a dozen examples of actual parking numbers from real, similar, built
developments with ratios of less than 1. But the neighbors still whined
about losing surrounding on-street parking. So I suggested that the
development could volunteer to prohibit their residents from parking on
surrounding streets (the developer agreed with the concept). But I was told
by others that the City could not allow that as it wouldn't be fair to
prohibit residents from parking on certain City streets. I think that's BS
as this would be a voluntary restriction (like my sister's condo where they
are not allowed to store their bicycles on their deck). I'm giving this as
an example of why you at least need the City's "buy-in" even to a private
plan.

Alan

  _____  

From: Brian Postlewaite [mailto:postbc at gmail.com] 
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 8:47 AM
To: alanjane at peoplepc.com
Cc: Charlie Denison; sbc members
Subject: Re: [SBC] Parking/land use question

Hi Charlie,

I don't think zoning code could require pedestrian use of existing parking.
Zoning could no longer require the parking.
But, in most cases, businesses, esp on S'ville ave, want the parking more
than pedestrian facilities, since there are more cars than pedestrians on
S'ville Ave.
What the city zoning could do is create a mechanism for allowing less
off-street parking, ie allowing businesses to substitute bicycle parking for
auto parking 2 to 1. And then require that enough open space be provided
that could be turned into parking up to the required amount, otherwise
developers will just build more building there.
The trick is not to exacerbate on street parking.

Sometimes businesses want to do this. I believe Star Mkt on Beacon, at one
time, considered building street side store fronts in their underused
parking lot.

Y'know, I don't think you have to rely on the city to accomplish this goal
(aside: i get frustrated by people always thinking that only the city can
best solve a problem or make something better, city gov'ts are rarely that
efficient or effective). You or a private organization (ie livable streets)
could try your idea with a couple businesses, see if they like the idea of
trading some parking for outdoor seating & bike parking, at least a
temporary change in the summer. Then help the aggreeable businesses get the
appropriate variance from the planning board; i think that would be it.

I saw something similar in Nova Scotia last summer in a couple cities, where
restaurants were allowed to extend seating over the entire sidewalk and
cover their on-street parking with a boardwalk to connect the sidewalk
around the seating. (see links & attached images) You could easily do
something similar with off-street parking in front of the business. So long
as it is temporary you could implement it fairly easily.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/programs/environment/UTSP/sidewalkCafes.htm
<http://www.tc.gc.ca/programs/environment/UTSP/sidewalkCafes.htm> 

~Brian

On Mon, Jul 14, 2008 at 6:50 AM, <alanjane at peoplepc.com
<mailto:alanjane at peoplepc.com> > wrote:

I really have no idea. Unfortunately, it sounds like a good idea but one
that would be hard to convince the Alderman and businesses. To me, your
suggestions can be combined by requiring the parking (in a new or
reconstructing parcel) to put (at least some of) the parking on the side or
rear.

Alan

----- Original Message -----
From: "Charlie Denison" <cdenison at comcast.net <mailto:cdenison at comcast.net>
>
To: "sbc members" <sbc at lists.bostoncoop.net
<mailto:sbc at lists.bostoncoop.net> >
Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2008 2:57 PM
Subject: [SBC] Parking/land use question

> Hey everyone,
>
> Does anyone know if the city has any sort of program or policy to
> encourage or allow business owners and landlords to remove parking in
> front of stores and convert it to spaces for people?  For example,
> Somerville Ave has many small "strip mall" type developments with small
> ugly parking lots in front.  There is great potential to reclaim at
> least some of that space for outdoor cafes, more trees and places to
> sit, bike parking, etc.  Just today I bought a coffee and wanted to sit
> outside but there was no place to do so because all the space was taken
> up by parking.  With the Somerville Ave reconstruction also taking
> place, it would be nice of at least some of these businesses remove the
> parking in front and make the area more "people-friendly".  I realize
> removing parking is always controversial, but this type of parking
> really is a poor use of very valuable space.
>
> Related question:  I would think that for "new" development, the city
> would encourage or require parking to be located in the rear of a
> building (or to the side), not in front.  Is this indeed the case?
>
> Charlie
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