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Santa Cruz Indymedia | Government & ElectionsCandidates to Face Downtown Garage Plan
At 7pm, Wednesday, Sept. 3, at Louden Nelson Center, the candidates for Santa Cruz City Council will be asked to support alternatives to building a 5-story garage at the site of the Farmers Market. Alternatives include bus passes for downtown employees, and cash/credit for employees using alternative transportation. Candidates will also be asked their vision on a rail trail and other sustainable transportation measures. A photo survey of parking garages over Labor Day weekend indicates that the City's formula for determining parking demand is inaccurate. A photo survey of city parking garages over the busy Labor Day weekend indicates that the city staff estimate of a "parking deficit" is inaccurate. The city staff estimate parking need by using the formula that every 400 square feet of restaurant, retail, office or theater space requires one parking place. This formula is the rationale for building a 5-story garage at the site of the Farmers Market. But on the busiest weekend of the summer, People Power found plenty of space in the 3 multi-story garages.
The City has a blueprint for a greener alternative to building the $42 million garage. It is contained in the Master Transportation Study (MTS) that the City commissioned, but has not yet implemented. The MTS recommends "Parking Demand Management" measures that would shift permit parking to the big garages, thereby freeing up parking for customers. The MTS recommends "parking cash-out" for downtown employees who use alternative transportation to commute to work. That can take the form of cash, bus passes, and credit at bike stores. Since employee permit and all-day parking occupy 60% of city-operated parking spaces downtown, only a fraction of the downtown workforce would need to use alternative commute modes in order to free up the 484 spaces that a new garage would provide. Candidates for City Council will be asked to take a stand on the garage at a forum on Wednesday, Sept 3 at Louden Nelson Center, 7pm. They will also be asked questions regarding the potential of the rail corridor, King St. bikeway, Bus Rapid Transit, and more.
§Labor Day Wknd Locust Garage 5pm Sat
Comments (Hide Comments)
( admin [at] palmspringsbum.com )
Saturday Aug 30th, 2008 4:11 PM
I guess I'll have to cancel my cell service now since I can't run the risk of having to pay for going over my quota of minutes and I don't want to be harassed on that number. Thanks Robert. And thanks for asking if you could put my cell number on the internet. Very thoughtful of you.
Saturday Aug 30th, 2008 5:55 PM
I have to say foul, Indybay. You guys have often said that posting people's personal information was not to be tolerated. Robert Norse is breaking that rule here.
Monday Sep 1st, 2008 11:44 AM
While you might have some actual effect if you offer cash credits to employees who leave their cars home, you're kidding yourself when you mention free bus passes.
C'mon, do you really think people are driving their car now because they don't want to pay for the bus? Or that they'll stop driving if offered a free bus pass? Not likely.
( becky_johnson222 [at] hotmail.com )
Thursday Sep 4th, 2008 8:21 AM
I was at the Transportation forum at Louden Nelson Center last night. The folks from sensibletransportation.org showed a series of slides including the photos above. They showed photos taken during the weekdays at the height of shopping downtown, on the weekends, and finally, during the Labor Day holiday. In every parking garage, there were still extra spaces available if the driver would simply proceed to the next higher level. The visual evidence was compelling when compared to the need to spend $42 million dollars on a new 5-story parking garage that would eliminate both the Farmer's Market and the Drum Circle. All those beautiful trees would be removed as well, while to pay for it, one plan is to eliminate the free parking in the 3-hour lots. How will that increase business for downtown merchants?
All City Council candidates with the lone exception of Lisa Molyneaux showed up. After viewing the slides, only ONE of the candidates indicated he still supported the NEW parking garage----Ryan Coonerty. He didn't steadfastly support all of the positive changes the garage would offer for the City, or pitch it to the audience assembled. Instead, he said he was "conflicted" from having been a downtown merchant. By contrast, candidate Craig Canada expressed his deep opposition to the garage BEFORE the slides were shown.
Friday Sep 5th, 2008 9:58 AM
This is the official list of City Council candidates along with their contact info, so folks can get in touch with them re: the proposed Parking Garage as well as other issues.
Why is indybay.org/santacruz afraid of having this list posted? Does someone have candidate-o-phobia? Isn't this useful public information? Come on, folks. Let's stop being hypersensitive about criticism and acknowledge a mistake. City Council Candidates for Election of November 4, 2008 (asterisks indicate those who have previously been on the City Council) *Beiers, Katherine Retired Academic Librarian 135 Gharkey St Santa Cruz CA 95060 426-6108 Kbeiers [at] sbcglobal.net Cabrera, Blas (Jay) Health/Wellness Coach 903 Pacific Ave #300 Santa Cruz CA 95060 332-2486 go [at] jacobslife.org Canada, J. Craig Disabled Systems Analyst 1344 Pacific Ave #403 Santa Cruz CA 95060 420-7417 admin [at] palmspringsbum.org *Coonerty, Ryan Teacher/Author 321 Broadway, D-3 Santa Cruz CA 95060 423-8939 ryancoonerty [at] hotmail.com *Fitzmaurice, Tim University Lecturer 107 Green St Santa Cruz CA 95060 252-3197 tim [at] tim4council.com Kenyatta, Simba Community Volunteer 603-A Broadway Santa Cruz CA 95060 426-6047 skenyatta [at] cruzio.com *Lane, Don Nonprofit Organization Administrator 132 Van Ness Santa Cruz CA 95060 332-3172 LaneForCouncil [at] baymoon.com *Madrigal, Tony City Councilmember 834 Hanover #7 Santa Cruz CA 95062 295-2518 Tonymadrigal [at] gmail.com Molyneux, Lisa Businesswoman/Broadcast Engineer 1010 Pacific Ave #415 Santa Cruz CA 95060 425-7817 Lisa [at] lisamolyneux.com Terrazas, David Transit Manager/Attorney 420 Swift Santa Cruz CA 95060 212-3889 daveterra [at] comcast.net
Friday Sep 5th, 2008 10:14 AM
Well gee thanks
by J. Craig Canada ( admin [at] palmspringsbum.com ) Saturday Aug 30th, 2008 4:11 PM I guess I'll have to cancel my cell service now since I can't run the risk of having to pay for going over my quota of minutes and I don't want to be harassed on that number. Thanks Robert. And thanks for asking if you could put my cell number on the internet. Very thoughtful of you. http://www.palmspringsbum.org/blog/2008/08/position-papers.html Add a Comment FOUL!!! by Ben Saturday Aug 30th, 2008 5:55 PM I have to say foul, Indybay. You guys have often said that posting people's personal information was not to be tolerated. Robert Norse is breaking that rule here.
Friday Sep 5th, 2008 2:57 PM
The list I posted is not "personal information", it is important and relevant contact information, publicly available at City Hall if you call them there at 420-5020. That's where I got it--from city worker Anna Brooks, no less (and thank you, Anna).
When you run for public office, you give out public information about where the public can reach you. I'd be happy to field inquiries for Craig at HUFF if he wants (831-423-4833), where there's no charge per call. I'd also encourage folks to use his e-mail rather than his phone number. I'd also like to think indybay.org/santacruz for restoring this post--which I believe will be helpful to folks on this particular thread.
Friday Sep 5th, 2008 5:18 PM
Seems to be a common trait shared by the huffers. Robert and Becky both enjoy "helping" people by outing them against their will and expressed desires.
Becky did it with the guys Aids, Robert does it repeatedly to Craig. But hey, it's for their own good, so that justifies it. Right? Rigggggghhht.
Tuesday Sep 9th, 2008 8:41 AM
You should take pictures of the surface lots on both sides of Lincoln and the one on Elm St. Those are full most of the time and are what the garage will help.
Plus it takes an hour on the bus from boulder creek. Not something to look forward to while coming down for my service style job.
Tuesday Sep 16th, 2008 4:01 PM
I like how Robert says you can call him rather then calling Craig Canada directly..... as long as no charges are involved.
Yet he has no problem listing Craig's phone number, which will eat up Craig's free minutes, costing him more money. When Robert knows Craig does not have money to waste. I'm sure that Craig appreciates your "help". |
