City seeks federal funds for parking upgrades
The Hot Springs Board of Directors authorized the city Friday to seek federal money for improved downtown parking and expanded sidewalks for outdoor dining.
The resolution the board unanimously adopted during a special-called meeting authorizes the West Central Arkansas Planning and Development District, or WCAPDD, to apply on the city’s behalf for part of the $17 million in deobligated fiscal year 2017 funds from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration Agency.
City Manager David Frasher told the board the money would add a level to the Exchange Street Parking Plaza, increasing its capacity by 80 parking spaces, and provide for five sidewalk bump-outs downtown. Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Lance Spicer told the board the grant’s 35-percent match provision requires the city to contribute about $1 million to the $2.9 million project.
The city plans on using its share of the proceeds from the $54.6 million bond issue voters approved last June for road improvements. Businesses will begin collecting the five-eighths cent sales tax that will secure the debt July 1.
Per an interlocal agreement with Garland County, the city will receive $7.3 million of the bond proceeds.
Friday’s special-called meeting proceeded from Thursday’s announcement that the city’s pre-application had advanced to a shortlist of applicants. The resolution allows WCAPDD to submit a full application on the city’s behalf.
Frasher told the board the five bump-outs extending into parking lanes in front of Kollective Coffee+Tea, The Ohio Club, Fat Bottomed Girl’s Cupcake Shoppe, Craft Beer Cellar and one running the length of the Central Avenue parking lane from Porterhouse to The Vault restaurants that would remove 17 on-street parking spaces.
Frasher said there would be a net gain of 63 spaces with the 80 added by the extra parking deck, noting replacing on-street parking with off-street parking is consistent with the Downtown Hot Springs Parking, Pedestrian and Bicycle Enhancement Plan the board adopted in November. It calls for the relocation of 78 on-street parking spaces.
Frasher said the concept plan for
the parking-deck piece includes allowing vehicle access from Central Avenue. He said the city right of way that’s currently a pedestrian walkway on Bath Street could be used to build an entryway from Central Avenue. It would run between two parking lots owned by the Wheatley Family Limited Partnership.
The plan also includes an electronic sign at the entrance to notify drivers if vacant spots are available, and a smart-parking system guiding drivers to GIs-coded parking spots via a cellphone app.
District 5 City Director Karen Garcia told the board that the bump-outs wouldn’t take away on-street parking spaces in front of downtown merchants.
“It takes away no spaces in front of any of the retail shopping downtown,” she said. “It’s all in front of the restaurants and those types of businesses.”
City Engineer Gary Carnahan told the board the bump-outs were incorporated into the preliminary grant application at the request of the owners of Craft Beer Cellar and The Ohio Club.