Parks commission recommends accessible parking, removes pedestrian connections for Taco Street/Chaco’s Park design

The Carbondale Parks and Recreation Commission on Aug. 13 debated alternatives for parking and pedestrian access at the Taco Street/Chaco’s Park project and gave staff two formal directions: remove the two mid-block pedestrian connections running east–west across Taco Street and move forward with the design that provides four accessible parking spaces, including two van-accessible stalls.

Commissioners said their concerns centered on pedestrian safety near a proposed water-play element and the need to preserve accessible parking downtown. After prolonged discussion about parallel versus perpendicular layouts, van-accessible stalls and how the site should behave during town events, the commission voted to remove the two pedestrian connections and to recommend the alternate that provides four accessible stalls (two van-accessible) with bollard-controlled closures for event use.

Why it matters: The Taco Street redesign sits at…