Parking Changes Spur Heated Discussion in Lenox
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LENOX, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen voted on changes to parking times on Wednesday night, after hearing heated arguments from local citizens and merchants.
Throughout the downtown district, effective June 15, three-hour parking will be available between the hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.
As discussion of the issue during public forum opened, an eager George Jordan was the first to speak out against the proposed changes.
"I guess I don't see the need," he said. "Seems to me, the only real business is between 9 and 6. I don't think this is going to bring more people in, and my information is that turnover is the key to business."
Doris Barsauskas, owner of MacKimmie Co. on Church Street, countered by thanking the board for considering the customers who may want to have dinner and shop without feeling rushed or hemmed in by shorter parking time frames.
"This summer there will be a group of merchants that will extend their evening hours on Thursday and Friday nights, so we'd certainly love that consideration when you're thinking about extending those hours for people parking," she said.
When asked if a three-hour or four-hour time limit would be more effective, she admitted that she was "not well-versed enough to say," but that extending each parking segment as well as adding three more hours of timed parking during the day would certainly help the merchants.
In the end, prompted by Selectman David Roche, the board agreed on a three-hour time frame before a car would need to be "flipped." Two hours, as it has been for many years, seemed too short a time – while four was "a little on the long side," according to Roche.
He added, "I think that you can have lunch and do some shopping in three hours. We've got to go back and look at the purpose of this, [which is] to help make parking spaces available to the stores' customers in town – as opposed to their employees.
"If you work an eight-hour shift and you park in front of the store, you're going to have to flip [your car] three times now, and I think that would make it more attractive for somebody to use one of the town's municipal lots – there's certainly ample space in those lots and we are continuing to explore additional municipal parking."
 Sharon Hawkes lightens the mood with a rare book show-and-tell. |
Other board members, including Ed Lane, agreed, adding that while difficult, it would be imperative to encourage restaurant and retail employees to park in public lots, rather than in front of stores. The hope is that more parking spaces would be available for customers.
"Over a 12-hour period, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., with four hours, you could flip that spot three times, and in three hours you could flip it four times. It might open up a spot," Lane said.
"Part of this plan is to make a lot of parking in the community center, possibly some parking on Ore Bed and behind the Town Hall. But somehow we've got to get the merchants and the business owners on board to require their employees to not park in front or on the street. I know it's hard to do, but that's the issue."
Selectman Ken Fowler added, "I think enforcement is necessary: You can't say you're going to do it and not enforce it, it's just pointless. We're changing 10 years of history ... we just have to stay the course."
Barsauskas advocated better communication from town management to Lenox citizens about the proposed changes, and suggested the board should reach out more proactively, providing direct contact with citizens.
Chairman Channing Gibson assured her that the information was made readily available and reiterated that signing up on the town website to receive public information was crucial if residents wanted to stay involved.
"I think it's going to take a village to change this," Barsauskas said. "I don't think this discussion will change it ... people need to feel compelled to change it."
Town Manager Christopher Ketchen noted, "We're unwinding a culture that's really been in place for a generation." He said it would take hard work and time to get acclimated.
"No matter what we decide, what we vote on," quipped Roche, "we've got to do a hell of a lot better job on signage."
The board's laughter signified all were in agreement on that particular point.
Those interested in more information – particularly business owners and merchants – should sign up to receive updates through Lenox.org or by contacting the Lenox Merchants' Group.
Other topics of discussion included the Lenox Library's upcoming Silent Art Auction and 200th anniversary event.
Sharon Hawkes brought the first circulation book from 1855 to show the board while Events Coordinator Jennifer Knopf thanked many donors and supporters "for their generous contributions" to the library.
Tags: parking,
