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Planners split on Pine Street on‑street parking after engineer recommends parallel spaces
Summary
Engineering drawings showed parallel‑parking options for Pine Street and advised against angle parking; commissioners were divided about whether to add on‑street parking during a scheduled repaving, citing safety, winter plowing and uncertain near‑term demand.
The commission reviewed preliminary engineering drawings for adding on‑street parking on Pine Street as part of an upcoming repaving project. The city engineer's first analysis recommended against angle (back‑in) parking because of the number of driveways and traffic flow, but provided a parallel‑parking layout for consideration.
Staff noted the change would support a more pedestrian‑friendly, walkable downtown by slowing traffic and shortening crosswalk distances with bump‑outs. Supporters argued adding low‑cost parking infrastructure now could help attract future businesses and improve walkability; opponents said there is little current business demand to justify removing driveways or complicating winter plowing.
Why it matters: The repaving project provides a cost‑effective window to reconfigure the street; decisions now would be harder and more expensive to retrofit later. Commissioners did not reach consensus and asked staff to report to city council with the split views and engineering options so council can decide whether to include parking in the repaving scope.
Key quote: The city engineer warned that "any parking probably would not work in this area due to the number of drives and the flow of traffic off of Ridge Avenue," while one commissioner said, "If you build it, they will come," noting infrastructure can enable future development.
