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July 12, 2005City must take the lead on parking deck plansThe issue: Our view: See Related Story: Once that's done, the city commission and the Downtown Development Authority must, once and for all, make sense of the west-side parking situation. It's time for the city, not developers, to take the lead on this issue. The first task must be a professional needs assessment to determine just how much parking is needed on the west side and how much of that parking the city can realistically afford to provide and how to pay for it. When that's done, and only then, will city officials be able to negotiate in the way they must with what the city needs and what the city can afford paramount. So far, the city and the DDA have put the cart before the horse - or rather they've let others do that for them. Last year the city agreed to sell a west-side parking lot for a proposed children's museum even though officials didn't have a clear picture of future parking needs in the area. Voters approved the sale. Earlier this year, the DDA practically endorsed a proposal that would have given developer Michael Uzelac exclusive rights to negotiate to buy Parking Lot T. Proceeds would have paid the city's portion of a parking deck that was part of a Uzelac-planned redevelopment of the former Grand Traverse Auto site. Public reaction has been strongly negative. There has even been talk of adding a parking deck to the bus transfer station being built off Hall Street. Obviously, what isn't yet known far outweighs what is known. That makes it all the more critical that the city and the DDA get out in front on this issue and establish, with public input, some benchmarks. How much parking do the city and developers need? How much of that, if any, should the city provide beyond spaces for shoppers and visitors? How much can the city afford? Numbers being tossed around include $10 million to $12 million for the city's share of the deck and 566 spaces. The State Street deck that opened two years ago has 540 spaces and cost $8 million. Its use is far from capacity. West-side development is not only inevitable but crucial for the city's long-term well being. Uzelac's plan includes retail, commercial and residential use, as have past plans for the Hall and Garland street area. Revitalization of that end of town would be a major shot in the arm. But before any of these projects move forward, it's imperative that the city do its due diligence, and do it in a public way.
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