Supes Talk About New Town Parking, Other Issues

Friday, March 25, 2011

Tuesday afternoon, James City County Supervisors had a work session on the New Town parking situation, and though no changes came of the discussion they had a chance to voice some of their concerns.

At Tuesday’s work session, staff, Larry Salzman of the New Town Associates and head of the Planning Commission Jack Fraley had a frank discussion with the Board about how the area’s shared parking arrangement is working out, the gym expansion and other concerns of Board members.

Currently, New Town’s shared parking arrangement is set up so businesses share parking spaces for their customers with the assumption people will park and walk to various shops. Staff said that, based on projections, if all the businesses are occupied (which they’re not), there would be a slight shortage of parking spaces at the peak hour of 2 p.m. and a surplus of parking at the alternate peak hour of 8 p.m.

Because street parking directly in front of businesses (in front of the movie theater, for example) means a short walk and people seem to always like to park in those locations, the NTA has been toying with the idea of making some spaces time-limited, although not metered.

This will encourage people to share spaces and will discourage staff from parking in those locations.

Supervisor Jim Kennedy said he was concerned this would mean extra strain on the county police department, which would be called upon to monitor the spaces and would effectively make them meter maids.

Salzman said people generally respect signs for limited-time parking, and he didn’t expect the police to enforce such spaces. Also, he said the NTA hasn’t decided if it’s even going to go forward with the idea.

As for the new gym, American Family Fitness, Kennedy said he wasn’t happy about part of the “passive” undeveloped area at the end of Main Street in front of Opus 9 going towards building more parking spaces.

Salzman pointed out that New Town has more green space than is required by the proffers offered at development, and even with the removal of a bit of the space the proffers will still be met. Also, the change in the parking at that end of Main Street will help orient the gazebo so it will be more functional.

Kennedy also was concerned that a “gentlemen’s agreement” made at a previous Development Review Committee meeting to resolve the parking issues between the gym and neighboring Opus 9 had not been honored before proceeding with the expansion.

While Salzman didn’t address this, staff said the additional 22 to 24 spaces will be completed before the new gym opens.

Supervisor Jim Icenhour agreed with Kennedy, and said he’s received several calls from people unhappy about the gym expansion. He went by to see the area, he said, and when he was there a delivery truck was parked at the end of Main Street because it couldn’t get around to the back of Opus 9 to deliver goods.

The expansion “substantially changes the ambience of that end of Main Street,” Icenhour said, and “degrades the area.”

Salzman said the gym won’t create a parking problem in the long run as its entrance will be in the rear. The gym will bring people with disposable income and time to spend that income to New Town, he said, echoing what the owners of the Main Street shops have said previously.

“Overall [the gym] is a wonderful thing for New Town,” Salzman said. “I think at the end of the day… Steve Lewis’ [Opus 9] business is going to be better than ever. I really believe that.”

As for the gym changing the ambience of the area, Salzman said, “the world is changing… if real estate… in New Town is stagnant and doesn’t evolve then it’s not going to be successful.”

He understands the parking concerns around the area, but he feels that the expansion will only help businesses in the area be successful.

Supervisor Bruce Goodson asked Salzman if there was a partnership between businesses and building owners to try to work out their issues, as many businesses have closed (read previous stories about such issues with Main Street businesses in the breakout).

Salzman said many business owners own their own buildings (though this is not the case along Main Street) and some buildings have stayed full. Retail is weak at the moment, he said, and an individual (who he didn’t name) knowledgeable about the market recently told Salzman that the Williamsburg area is “one of the most over-stored areas” around.

Also, according to Salzman the same person said that at some shopping centers, rents could be reduced to zero and some business owners still couldn’t survive.

Chairwoman Mary Jones said the Board wants New Town to be successful. The county has a vested interest in that success, she said, but significant changes in the area draw attention and cause citizens call their supervisors who want to do something to address the concerns.