[Vision2020] Council lead on Parking was: P&Z OKs zone change for elevator property

[Nils Peterson]

The story does a pretty good job of capturing the evening. You saw the draft
of my thinking, here are my remarks
http://www.nilspeterson.com/2006/07/26/thoughts-on-rezone-to-cbd-forget-the-
parking/

My comments were intended to say that street parking is a "commons" and as
such, the community where the commons is being "overgrazed" needs to address
the problem collectively -- one member can't solve the problem alone.

Several others pointed out that the Council needs to address the parking
issue, and I agreed. There were some complaints at the meeting that P&Z had
forwarded the parking issue to the (former) Council in the past and the
Council had not taken up the challenge.

What follows is thinking for a letter to the editor, I trust some of you
will be willing to help me sharpen my thinking by critiquing this draft:


In the last year we've seen the citizens organize themselves around several
political issues: ballparks, 3rd St Bridge, and Thompson rezone. In each
event, Council attended to the issue. In the case of the Thompson
annexation, Council saw it had created a potential problem and took the lead
on the Big Box ordinance. The 'parking problem' has been around for years,
and Council has not led, and neither has a grass roots political effort
formed. So, maybe parking downtown is not a broad community issue.

MCA could take a lead, under the banner of advancing Smart Growth principles
(see IdahoSmartGrowth.com checklist for commercial development). GMA might
lead, to demonstrate its political acumen prior to the upcoming elections.
What about the Chamber? Downtown Merchant's Association - hello? Perhaps NSA
would lead, in a demonstration of good neighborliness.

What might be advocated? Better non-auto transportation systems. Meters to
let the free market ration parking. City taxes or an LID to create more
parking. Different strategies, with different constituencies and different
potential advocates. Why do we expect that the Council needs to step
forward, or how would we direct them if they did?


On 7/27/06 4:01 PM, "vision2020-request at moscow.com"
<vision2020-request at moscow.com> wrote:

>> From today's (July 27, 2006) Moscow-Pullman Daily News -
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> P&Z OKs zone change for elevator property
> 
> By Omie Drawhorn, Daily News staff writer
> Published: 07-27-2006
> 
> Two parcels of land south of downtwon Moscow that have grain elevators and
> industrial structures may soon be developed into a mix of apartments and
> commercial space.
> 
> The Moscow Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of a rezone
> Wednesday night of the properties located at 625 S. Jackson St. and 803 S.
> Main St., which are zoned industrial, to central business.
> 
> If the Moscow City Council approves the rezone, the grain elevators on South
> Main Street will be preserved and redeveloped, and the structures on South
> Jackson Street will be torn down and rebuilt.
> 
> Despite concerns from Moscow residents about the lack of downtown parking,
> spot zoning and the magnitude of downtown, the commissioners approved the
> rezone without conditions.
> 
> "I'm ready to go with this. This is an opportunity to let the downtown grow
> in some way," commissioner Nels Reese said.
> 
> "What we need is people who are willing to step up to the plate and try to
> do something with the property."