There seems to be a few concepts Keely is missing.<br> <br> 1) A business is in business to make money. It is not required by law to remain downtown. If lack of parking is a factor, it can move out of downtown. That is why Safeway and other businesses are not downtown anymore.<br> <br> 2) If the only available parking is in large chunks scattered through out downtown, they can collectively buy a property, charge to park there, and redeem the tickets if they purchase goods at one of the stores that owns the property. That is the way it works every other downtown I have been to. <br> <br> 3) Most businesses that locate downtown, die. In fact, even popular ones in the 70's died, like the Nobby that was famous and popular for three generations in this town. It was not parking. 9 out 10 businesses fail, parking is not main reason. <br> <br> 4) A business owner that knows he or she could stay in business if they provided parking for their customers, but chooses
not to, deserves their fate. Likewise, a business owner that takes the initiative to invest in parking for their customers deserves the potential windfall. <br> <br> 5) Keely fails to understand that parking downtown is about people accessing downtown, not profiteering for downtown businesses. A person who takes their child to play in the park at Friendship Square, or who sits and throws pennies in the fountain, or goes to city hall to talk to a council representative, is just as entitled to a downtown parking space as her for buying a bagel at the One World Cafe. The parking is for the people who pay for the parking, not the businesses that complain nobody is shopping at their store. To reduce people to a dollar sign is shallow. 3/4 of the time I visit downtown I spend no money. But I pay a crapola of my income in taxes, and so I am entitled to a spot just like everyone else. <br> <br> 6) There are plenty of successful businesses downtown that are not
having a parking problem.<br> <br> 7) It just wasn't downtown Tucson, Arizona that was having economic hard times in the 70s, it was the whole nation, and parking wasn't the cause. Many people called it the Carter years. <br> <br> 8) NSA is here to stay. So get use to it. So what if it didn't meet the current zoning code. Neither does the Co-Op, or the Alternative High School. There are questions about quiet a few other places in town too. Plus, there is no zoning for a 4 year liberal arts accredited college in Moscow no matter where it went, except back in a neighborhood. Now I ask, do you want NSA downtown, or next door to your house?<br> <br> 9) I don't boycott business that benefit from downtown Moscow city provided parking. I boycott business that complain that we aren't giving them enough FREE parking to make a profit and throw stones at their neighbors. That is unsportsmanlike conduct. I don't want that in my downtown. <br> <br> 10) English
was not one of my majors, but I believe it is "effect", not "affect". <br> <br> Best,<br> <br> _DJA<br> <br><b><i>keely emerinemix <kjajmix1@msn.com></i></b> wrote:<blockquote class="replbq" style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"> I am far from an expert on municipal parking codes, and I'm definitely not <br>an expert on handling Donovan, but a few things seem reasonable to me:<br><br>One, the businesses downtown are in what is codified in Moscow's <br>comprehensive plan as the Central Business District. A feature of the CBD <br>is that stores are linked side-by-side over a few city blocks; they are not <br>stand-alone structures that build on property with an eye toward finding the <br>balance between physical structure and required parking. The businesses <br>downtown share their parking with one another.<br><br>Two, this situation seems to have worked fairly well prior to a few years <br>ago; there
might never have been all the parking consumers and business <br>owners want, but there was enough to keep them going and the burden was <br>shared equally among tax-paying businesses.<br><br>Three, I have never met anyone who didn't think that a walkable downtown <br>with a vibrant retail, arts, and restaurant scene wasn't one of the joys of <br>small-town living. I grew up in Tucson, Arizona, in the 60s and 70s. When <br>I was very young, downtown was pulsing with small shops and cafes that <br>prospered well even under the shade of larger, national stores. By the 70s, <br>however, city planners abandoned downtown, as did nearly everyone else, and <br>it sunk into a state of economic and social depression which it only emerged <br>within the last 20 years -- when the city renewed its committment to <br>fostering a pedestrian-friendly, safe, vital and varied downtown. In <br>Moscow, "pedestrian-friendly" doesn't mean that I walk to downtown from my <br>home east of
the cemetery; it means that once I'm there, I have a couple of <br>hours to enjoy my coffee, pick up my book at Bookpeople, check out Goodwill, <br>and measure the half-moon cabinet at the import store once again. It means <br>that with a place to leave my car, I can walk to the Co-Op, head over to <br>Keeney Bros. for drum equipment my son HAS to have, and order more printed <br>shirts from my husband at Shirt Shack. By any social, economic and <br>municipal standard, this is healthy for Moscow, better for the environment, <br>and a great way for me to lose the 10 lbs. that prevent me from being <br>described as svelte and willowy.<br><br>Four, none of the social and retail bliss described above can happen if, <br>upon driving to downtown, I can't find a place to park. Now, the bagel shop <br>might wish I took my coffee there rather than at the One World, but all <br>parties acknowledge that both pay taxes, and both get the fairest benefit <br>from the city's
investment in on-street parking.<br><br>Five, it would be better if I walked TO downtown. Point granted, but as yet <br>unacknowledged by my chronically stiff neck, shoulders, and lower back, and <br>knees that swell and ache after long walks.<br><br>Finally, I remain amazed at Donovan's inability to grasp the two obvious <br>factors in this debate: that parking downtown is symbolic of what ought to <br>be a cooperative agreement between the municipality and the retail sector to <br>preserve a jewel in the crown of our community, and that a behemoth, <br>arrogant, and non-taxpaying institution that moves in to where it clearly is <br>neither permitted nor welcomed is hurting its neighborhood, much as its <br>backers have wreaked havoc in the larger community. I affirm Donovan's <br>right to not shop at any place that benefits from city-provided parking, but <br>if downtown Moscow can somehow survive NSA, I'm betting it'll gain victory <br>of DJA as
well.<br><br>keely<br><br><br>From: Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 @yahoo.com=""><br>To: robertandjill@verizon.net, vision2020@moscow.com<br>Subject: [Vision2020] RRe:Parking,Businesses are not owed one City parking <br>space, NOT ONE,Quite your complaining.<br>Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2006 07:26:42 -0700 (PDT)<br><br><br>"Many downtown merchants view the downtown Moscow parking situation as<br>serious and threatening to their businesses. Without attempting to<br>assign blame, here are some suggestions:"--Robert<br><br>Here is my suggestions to businesses that think they are losing business<br>because of the city not providing them enough parking downtown.<br><br>1) Buy your own damn parking like every other business.<br><br>2) Buy your own damn parking like every other business.<br><br>3) Buy your own damn parking like every other business.<br><br>The taxpayers pay for the maintains and enforcement of Free<br>parking downtown. Business owners downtown don't pay taxes
on<br>the parking lots downtown. Therefore, they don't have any right to<br>complain.<br><br>Every time I hear a business owner complain that, I the taxpayer am<br>not giving them enough tax free parking for their business, I write<br>the business name down and stop shopping there.<br><br>Parking is not downtown for the financial gain of private business<br>owners. It is there for the convenience of the residents of Moscow that<br>pay taxes for the parking. It is not the city taxpayers obligation to<br>purchase and maintain real estate downtown for private investors.<br><br>IF adding parking spaces results in more cash for the business owner,<br>would it not be in their best interest to purchase some parking?<br><br>This is so disrespectful to all business owners elsewhere in town from<br>that have to buy parking, not get free parking, and having to pay no taxes <br>on<br>that parking space, How dare they demand that we shell out more for their <br>personal<br>financial
gain? How insulting. Go screw yourself, I will go to a business<br>that cares enough to invest in providing convenience and comfort for their <br>customs.<br>Down with businesses that blame everyone else for their problems and expect <br>the<br>government to solve their problems for them.<br><br>To the businesses that complain about parking; The city don't own you one<br>damn parking spot, not one.<br><br>Best,<br><br>_DJA<br><br><br><br>robertandjill@verizon.net wrote: I tried to post this yesterday, didn't <br>seem to go through. Here are some good thoughts on alleviating the parking <br>situation.<br><br>DRAFT<br>A MODEST PROPOSAL TO IMPROVE<br>DOWNTOWN MOSCOW PARKING<br>Bill Parks<br>September 14, 2006<br><br><br>Many downtown merchants view the downtown Moscow parking situation as <br>serious and threatening to their businesses. Without attempting to assign <br>blame, here are some suggestions:<br><br>RECOMMENDATIONS<br><br>1. Limit all downtown on-street parking
to two hours.<br><br>Although making parallel parking spots one hour and angle parking two hour <br>has many advantages, it might be too confusing for visitors. Two hour <br>parking provides plenty of time for many downtown patrons. Those that need <br>more time could park in the three-hour Jackson Street lot.<br><br>2. Increase enforcement by penalizing drivers for removing or altering chalk <br>marks.<br><br>Here is a quote from the Eugene, Oregon city code:<br><br>5.275 Authority to Mark Vehicles. A police officer parking control officer <br>or community service specialist may mark motor vehicles that are parked, <br>standing, or stopped to aid in the enforcement of parking regulations. Such <br>mark shall be made by chalk upon the tires of the vehicle or by some other <br>convenient method that will not injure or damage the vehicle. Marks so <br>placed shall not be interfered with, concealed or obliterated or erased by <br>any person other than a police
officer, parking control officer, or <br>community service specialist while the vehicle remains parked, standing or <br>stopped at the place where the vehicle is marked.<br>(Section 5.276 added by Ordinance No. 19621, enacted June 12, 1989)<br><br>Such a change, particularly if it carried with it a citation more severe <br>than an overtime violation might help in reducing the incidence of downtown <br>scofflaws.<br><br>3. Make it a violation to park on the same street for more than two hours.<br><br>This proposed ordinance or code would keep a driver from re-starting the <br>time by moving the car up and down the street, but would allow the car to <br>be moved to another street to re-start the parking limits. Although <br>speaking of blocks instead of streets, the Eugene Code addresses the issue.<br><br>5.265 Parking Time Limit. Maximum parking time limits designated by sign <br>for a block shall apply to parking in the block not merely to parking in <br>one
or more particular parking spaces in the block. No person in charge of <br>a vehicle may extend the permissible time for parking the vehicle in the <br>block by causing the vehicle to be moved from one parking space to another <br>in the block without being removed from the block. The operator of the <br>vehicle or its registered owner shall be regarded as prima facie in charge <br>of it.<br>(Section 5.265 amended by ordinance No. 16387. enacted February 14, 1972)<br>It is important that downtown parking be reserved for local business <br>patrons, and not become a “backdoor” route for providing employee parking. <br>Forcing those that work downtown to park outside the downtown area will <br>benefit the entire city by improving downtown business health. A healthy <br>downtown business district needs parking regulations that cause citizens to <br>obey both the letter and the spirit of the regulations.<br><br><br>4. Accommodate downtown residents and others by
allowing overnight angled <br>parking.<br><br>There are about 130 downtown residents (about the same as New Saint Andrews <br> Students) yet their needs are seldom considered. In addition to <br>residents, there may, from time to time, be downtown revelers that should <br>not drive their cars until the next morning. The city street department may <br>complain that it needs to have no overnight parking to facilitate snow <br>removal. Since there will be no overnight parallel parking, angle parking <br>can be signed for snow removal and the two-hour parking allowance insures <br>that by 10:00 AM all angle parking cars will be moved. It is time to do <br>something good for downtown residents. The street department could work out <br>an accommodation with downtown residents’ needs.<br><br>5. Rent reserved parking spaces for businesses that need to have a delivery <br>vehicle or realtors that might need to have a vehicle ready to transport <br>clients to a
property.<br><br>The city should make some accommodation for businesses that do not have <br>their own parking spaces but need immediate access to a vehicle in the <br>normal course of their business. The number of spaces available for each <br>business should probably be limited to some fraction of those employed in <br>the business. For instance, a rented space might be made available for <br>every five employees or fraction thereof. The rented spaces can be flagged <br>for certain vehicles and others parking in the space would be subject to <br>penalties. License plate numbers could be used to validate authorized <br>users. (See below).<br><br>6. Purchase optical character recognition (OCR) equipment for parking <br>enforcement.<br><br>OCR software and hand held computers speed up parking enforcement and <br>drastically reduce errors. They will also eliminate many other traffic <br>problems. Stolen cars, offenders, etc. can all be easily identified and
<br>appropriate actions taken. Revenues from parking tickets should increase <br>until those parking in downtown are convinced to obey regulations.<br><br>7. Increase peripheral parking opportunities by adding parking lots.<br><br>Revenue from downtown parking and rented spaces may not be enough to <br>provide sufficient revenue to purchase and maintain more parking lots. The <br>University of Idaho now requires permits in formerly free university lots <br>and also has been allowed to rent parking on city streets to fraternity and <br>sorority residents. As a result, frugal students, staff and faculty who <br>formerly could park around campus are more likely to be parking on <br>residential streets between campus and downtown. Moscow should request that <br>all or most of the university’s purple permit revenue be turned over to <br>Moscow for purchase of additional parking lots between downtown and the <br>university. Some would consider it unfortunate that
the university has <br>removed parking for Moscow citizens that pay local taxes and instead <br>reserved the parking for students that pay no local taxes. This imbalance <br>needs to be redressed. Additional revenues from parking violations, <br>reserved spaces, and U of I purple<br> parking permits and other sources should be earmarked for parking lots <br>and enforcement costs.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br>=======================================================<br> List services made available by First Step Internet,<br> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<br> http://www.fsr.net<br> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<br>=======================================================<br><br><br><br>---------------------------------<br>How low will we go? Check out Yahoo! Messenger’s low PC-to-Phone call <br>rates.<br><br><br>=======================================================<br> List services made available by First Step Internet,<br>
serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<br> http://www.fsr.net<br> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<br>=======================================================<br><br>_________________________________________________________________<br>Get real-time traffic reports with Windows Live Local Search <br>http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=42.336065~-109.392273&style=r&lvl=4&scene=3712634&trfc=1<br><br>=======================================================<br> List services made available by First Step Internet, <br> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <br> http://www.fsr.net <br> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<br>=======================================================</donovanjarnold2005></blockquote><br><p> 
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