Downtown parking

Asked via Zoom about the planned parking garage — whether bonds will be issued and at what cost to taxpayers, and whether Joe Petrocelli would contract for part of the garage to serve the hotel.

The parking committee chair (speaking personally) said the Main Street plan cuts public parking from 49 to 21 spaces, the hotel's valet area would cut 4-7 more, and asked the board to revisit saving eight additional spaces. He also noted no parking agreement with the developer exists yet and questioned the legal requirements for leasing parking district property.

Said the theater sells out shows and parking lots fill from Roanoke to McDermott; worried the garage construction will cut parking in half for a year and shut businesses down. Also proposed covering the flood-prone alleyway and adding illuminated crosswalks after a patron was hit.

Joined in raising parking concerns tied to the Peconic Hotel project and the impact of garage construction on downtown businesses.