Norwalk library board to ask city to cover Eagles‑lot parking costs, seeks clearer signage

The Norwalk Public Library board agreed Feb. 12 to ask the city to explain or assume payment for parking the library currently leases in the Eagles lot after staff reported the roughly $12,006 annual charge may increase when the lease is renewed.

Board members and staff said the spaces are needed for program days and staff safety but that responsibility for paying the lot should rest with the city parking authority rather than the library’s operating budget. “It should be a parking authority expense,” a board member said, arguing that the parking authority was established for this purpose and that moving the cost to the library reduced money available for services.

The board described three related problems: who pays, whether the library still needs the leased spots for routine operations (versus special events), and missing or confusing directional signage that discourages use of the additional spaces. Staff said some adjacent spots could be reassigned as dedicated library parking and that clearer directional signs are needed so visitors can find the lot during large programs.

To document need and support the request, board members proposed short‑term usage counts during recurring programs such as story times. They also discussed alternatives including staff parking reassignments, one‑day fees for large events, or applying rental revenue from nearby nonprofit tenants toward parking costs.

The board moved to authorize Sherrell (library staff) and a board member to draft and circulate a memo to the city seeking that the parking authority cover the cost or otherwise justify the library’s continued expense. The motion was made, seconded and recorded as carried during the meeting.

The memo is expected to be prepared for the current budget season; the board asked staff to include signage needs and utilization data in the request.