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Villa Park trustees send Villa Avenue parking questions to Plan Commission; businesses push to relax 30-minute limits
Summary
Business owners and trustees flagged the 30-minute parking limit along South Villa Avenue after the loss of the municipal lot; the Plan Commission will review parking in the Villa Avenue Historic District and return recommendations; board also approved a separate no-parking ordinance on portions of Wildwood and Myrtle tied to the union development.
Business owners and residents asked the Village of Villa Park board on Feb. 23 to reconsider short street-parking limits downtown after the former municipal lot was closed for redevelopment.
Natalie Kramer, owner of Salon Society at 115 S. Villa, said a 30-minute limit on the west side of South Villa Avenue is impractical for appointment-based businesses. "A 30 minute parking limit implies a stop and go approach," Kramer said, arguing that a three-hour limit signals that downtown is a place visitors can comfortably spend time.
Manager Reedus and trustees discussed a separate ordinance (second reading) that would remove on-street parking on the north side of East Wildwood Avenue and on the east side of South Myrtle Avenue to improve emergency-vehicle access where the roadway will be narrowed during the union development and VPRC construction. Reedus said the plan commission recommended the change and cautioned that parked cars in the mapped locations create a tight passage that can impede emergency vehicles.
Trustee Kumar urged the board to consider increasing short-term parking limits (from 30 minutes to two or three hours on at least one side) as an interim measure while the Plan Commission studies the broader Villa Avenue Historic District. The Plan Commission will examine the district at its March 18 meeting and is expected to return formal recommendations to the Village Board; trustees encouraged downtown businesses to attend the commission meeting and provide input.
Outcome: the ordinance to remove on-street parking in specific locations was approved as a second-reading ordinance; the Plan Commission will conduct a broader review of Villa Avenue parking and bring back recommendations.
