HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 04/11/1994 - City Council COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE WHOLE
APRIL 11, 1994 7:00 P.M.
The Committee Meeting of the Whole was called to order by Mayor Cuda on
Monday, April 11, 1994 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Municipal
Center. At roll call, the following aldermen were present: Bolger, Locke,
Baird. Lawson arrived at 7:11 and Bates arrived at 7:17 p.m. Absent None.
City Staff in attendance were City Clerk Gilpin, Chief of Police Joyce,
Director of Building and Zoning Lobaito.
Also in attendance were Main Street business owners: Bill Dick of Mar Ray
Dance Studios; Mr and Mrs. Perry Moy of Plum Garden; Mr. and Mrs. Mike
Oliver; Mr. and Mrs. Jim Kirk; Mr. and Mrs. Dick Buchert of the Depot Hotel;
John Swierk of Direct Design, Ed Buss of Buss Ford; Superintendents Bob
Swartzloff and Bill Dodds of the School Administration Building.
The purpose of the meeting was to get input from business owners along Main
Street concerning the lack of parking spaces in that area.
The City Parking Lot contains only 18 spaces which is far short of the amount
needed for that area. There is a four-hour parking restriction in the lot.
When mention was made of possibly selling permits to park in that lot, it was
almost unanimous among the business owners that this was not a good idea and
should not be done.
Some of the businesses rent private parking spaces for their employees.
Others use Main Street but because there is a 2-hour parking restriction on
those spaces, employees must go out and move their cars every two hours.
Some suggestions by the owners for possible solutions were:
# Make Borden Street a one-way street and allow parking along one side
of the road - maybe 15 spaces there.
* Make Main Street a one-way street from Front to Borden Street;
* City should contact Bob Anzinger about relocating his business,
possibly buying his property and tear down the quonset hut. This
would result in about 50 parking spaces and that would solve the
problem. The former Rae Motors building on Dot Street in the Meyer
Gravel Pit complex should be investigated as a possible relocation
site.
•Contact Norgas Propane Company and Rockford Industrial to determine
if they would be relocating or have property available to develop as
public parking.
*Contact Lee & Ray Electric about property in back of its building.
* Contact Ted Jensen re his property off Borden Street.
* Contact Bernie Matchen re his property off John Street.
* Contact Alexander Lumber re property off John Street.
It was mentioned that maybe the business owners could work together to stagger
the time of some of their functions so they wouldn't interfere with each other
which would help the parking situation.
Also, mention was made that the City is not maintaining the Main Street
Parking Lot as it should be. Papers, bottles and debris should be picked up
and the surface needs to be sealcoated. It was emphasized that the lot needs
to be lighted as it is very dark in that area. The aldermen agreed.
Several people requested that a Municipal Parking Sign be placed at the Main
Street lot, similar to what has been placed at the other municipal parking
lots. They also requested that the street lights along Main Street be
replaced with lights similar to those in Veteran's Memoral Park on Pearl
Street.
The business owners in attendance indicated they would be willing to
participate financially in upgrading the Main Street Area.
It was decided to send letters to some property owners in the area to see if
they would be interested in working with the City to alleviate parking
problems. The City Clerk was instructed to obtain Property Identification
Numbers and send the letters. It was also decided to follow up with a
personal visit to the owners within one week of sending the letters.
Meeting adjourned at 8:00 P.M.
City Clerk