voice of bainbridge

The city could/should regulate the presence of trees in parking lots via a green ordinance for urban sustainability

Thinking about what happened to the trees at the ferry terminal parking I wondered about existing city regulations elsewhere. Just google parking lots and trees: here comes the regulation adopted by the city of Sacramento. It is about shading trees but it makes perfect sense to require the presence/planting/maintenance of trees on parking lots. Looks like the city is going to hire a consultant...and as usual such regulations already exist.

Another very bad idea for downtown: the monster garage. Cui prodest?

Real McCoy of Bainbridge PostScript does again a perfect job at explaining why this monster undeground garage is a very bad plan. Of course the basic key lie is that there would be a lack of parking space downtown and if there was a need (there is none) the place to consider would be T&C and the post office parking. Why was such a plan was even studied: Is fecit cui prodest. Who would profit? Two major property owners, Haggar-Scribner Properties and Sandstrom Properties who co-financed the "study".

National Park(ing) Day: another opportunity to reflect about parking costs and alternatives

National Park(ing) Day is an initiative to the Trust for Public Land. Read more about it in Treehugger (again). It makes you think about the car monopoly on public space. What about having the city (or concerned citizens) taking part?

Common sense about parking

I was discussing with a friend about downtown parking and returned to the argument that there would be a significant number of parking spots available if the city and the merchants stopped using so many for "free" or for a handful of dollars per month.

Donald Shoup and the high (hidden) cost of "free" parking

Diane Horn hosts a public interest radio program entitled the sustainability segment on KEXP that airs at the typical 7 am on saturdays. Her guest last saturday was Donald Shoup, THE expert on parking issues. He explains the high cost of so called free parking and offers alternative strategies that should be considered for Winslow. Maybe Islandwood could invite Shoup for a conference (and some local consulting)?
LISTEN and spread the word :)

Dear City Council,

 

As a 19-year resident of Grow between Wallace and Ihland, I continue to have strong feelings that regular, daytime parking by students at BHS should be banned on Grow Avenue, Nakata and Lovell. I support a "2-Hour" parking limit, which allows local residents to entertain guests or business associates, but places the responsibility for high school parking with the school district.