Downtown Westport parking plan finally wins approval
WESTPORT — After months in the making, Parker Harding Plaza finally has a revamp plan ready to move forward.
The Planning and Zoning Commission recently approved a plan to repave and remap parking spaces in the plaza, also paving over some of Jesup Green to make up for the lost parking that will come with redesigned spaces in the plaza. This is the fourth rendition of the plan in the last year.
“There is absolutely no reason to delay,” First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker said about approving the project. “It is the gateway to our downtown and it is a dangerous, noncompliant and poorly functioning parking lot.”
Commissioners Paul Lebowitz, John Bolton, Patrizia Zucaro and Michael Calise voted in favor, while Nicole Laskin, Michael Cammeyer and Neil Cohn did not.
Since the parking lot needs to be repaved, there are regulations that need to be followed regarding parking space size, Public Works Director Pete Ratkiewich said.
The plans have been proposed to make parking spaces larger, become compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and fire code, mitigate flooding, improve circulation and add green space.
The parking count goes from 214 non-conforming spots to 174 conforming spots in Parker Harding Plaza, Ratkiewich said. He said many of the current spots are too small to even accommodate small cars. Under the new plan, all parking spaces will be standard size, Ratkiewich said.
After an October meeting revealing the lost spaces, the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee and administration met to determine where spots could be added, Ratkiewich said. Jesup Green had space to add 42 spots on its hill.
Those spaces at Jesup Green will be built before Parker Harding’s reconstruction, providing an additional place for people to park during that time, Ratkiewich said. Jesup Road will also be realigned and parking will be added there.
Once Parker Harding is rebuilt, Ratkiewich said the southern portion of Taylor Lot would be changed to green space, to make up for what is lost. This is an increase in green space by 850 square feet.
If the police/EMS station moves to a conjoined facility with the fire department in the future, which is another plan in the works, even more green space can be added there, Ratkiewich said.
Many of the speakers at the meeting were downtown merchants, who generally disapproved of the plan, saying restricting parking could negatively affect their businesses and cause employees to have to walk further to work.
For Lebowitz to vote positively, he wanted certain conditions to be put in place. After discussion, the board decided that 40 spaces would need to be added to the Jesup lot to replace the ones lost. Other conditions include having the new green space exceed what exists now at Jesup when it’s completed and the fast removal of snow from parking lots.
It was also advised that the town look at ways to ensure downtown employees don’t get ticketed for where they park and that the town must work with the state Department of Transportation to make crosswalks at Post Road near the lots safe and visible.
Laskin said she doesn’t seen this plan as a solution, and doesn’t support it because of the merchants’ disdain, loss of parking and swapping of green space.
Zucaro said, while some business owners feel strongly about how the plan will negatively effect their businesses, she doesn’t agree. She said making employees walk from Imperial or Jesup lots doesn’t seem unreasonable.
This plan actually creates more parking spaces downtown, she said, and believes it’s a compromise.
“I think the best thing that we can do is actually approve this in order for development to occur,” she said.
Cohn said his deal breakers are losing loading zones, critical parking spots and green space at Jesup Green. He also noted how “disheartened” the merchants are.