Whitefish Bay board approves parking map with changes; tables retaining-wall exception

Whitefish Bay — The Village Board on May 18 approved an amended official parking map that reconfigures metered, two-hour and unrestricted stalls across Silver Spring, Beaumont, Lake Drive and Council, but it deferred one right-of-way retaining-wall request for additional review.

Trustees spent the largest portion of the meeting focused on several proposed on-street changes: three grocery-pickup stalls and three new metered stalls near the Santa Monica–Silver Spring–Hollywood intersection (adjacent to Winky’s and Fitzzie’s), relocation of several meters to accommodate turn-lane geometry, and a cluster of unrestricted stalls on Beaumont intended in part to relieve employee parking pressures.

The Winky’s request — submitted after the board packet was released — prompted the most intense discussion. Trustees said the intersection is tight and feared adding three parked cars could create unsafe maneuvers. As an alternative, trustees asked staff to pursue a two-spot option with one designated ADA stall and one additional short-term stall or a single metered head split between two spaces. Village staff and the village engineer (CJ) told the board they had evaluated the plan and that the design could maintain the turn lane as drawn, but trustees directed staff to confirm the two-spot/one-ADA layout with CJ before implementing it. If CJ signs off, the board agreed the change could proceed without returning to the board.

The board also debated Sendik’s request for three curbside grocery-pickup stalls. Trustees proposed several options to preserve public parking and employee safety — including relocating pickup stalls into Sendik’s own lot, allowing the store to use its concrete loading pad outside peak delivery hours (staff to check feasibility), or designating a limited number of on-site employee stalls as a trade. Don Allen, representing Christ Church, urged the board to preserve public parking where possible and supported request number six (new unrestricted stalls on Beaumont) that aims to balance congregant and business needs.

Kelsey, the staff presenter, said the map had been drafted before additional off-street parking (the former Masonic Temple) became available and recommended staff follow up with Sendik’s on delivery timing and in-lot options.

The board moved and approved the map as amended by discussion, with two caveats: staff will (1) check with CJ about converting the Winky’s three-spot plan to two spots (one ADA) and, if CJ approves, administer that change; and (2) continue working with Sendik’s on loading-zone hours and whether pickup stalls can be accommodated on private property or by repurposing the loading pad in non-peak hours. The motion carried on a voice vote.

Separately, a trustee had earlier asked to pull consent item nine (a right-of-way exception for retaining walls at 607 East Bell) for further process clarification; that item was tabled for one month so the trustee who can answer process questions can be present.

What’s next: Staff will confirm the Winky’s layout with the village engineer and will follow up with Sendik’s on grocery-pickup logistics and whether some loading-zone time can be repurposed for public parking. The revised parking map will be implemented as described "as amended by discussion," subject to the staff and engineer confirmations noted above.