Possible Changes to Garden City’s Parking Code
There are proposed changes to Garden City's parking code that appear to reduce the number of required parking spaces for up to a 3 bedroom unit to 1 space and “parking adjustments” based on the proximity to a bus stop. These changes will likely allow reduced parking for the Residences at River Club, which will benefit the developer at the detriment of the community.
Apparently, these changes will be up for approval at the February 13, 2023 Garden City City Council meeting at Garden City Hall from 6pm-7pm. Read the documents related to this proposal on Garden City’s website here.
The two emails below are in response to this possible change.
From: Debra Riedel
Sent: Thursday, February 2, 2023 8:12 AM
Subject: RE: Garden City Parking Standards - changes
Good morning.
If approved, this parking code, along with approval of the River Club Apartments, would be detrimental to the Plantation neighborhood and all other nearby neighborhoods on both sides of State Street. I don’t know if it is too late for public comment, but I am happy to send a letter to the Mayor and City Council today. At a minimum, it seems prudent to postpone the parking vote until after the hearing on the River Club.
When I drove out of the neighborhood this morning at 7:30, there were no cars parked on Plantation Lane or Charleston. There was one van parked on Fair Oaks.
Driving down State Street, there was one bicyclist (wearing no gloves.) It was 18 degrees. I didn’t see a single person waiting at a bus stop.
Please let me know how I can help.
Deb
From: John Livingston
Sent: Thursday, February 2, 2023 9:25 AM
Subject: RE: Garden City Parking Standards - changes
Thank you, Debra, for reaching out. I understand that you have been communicating with my wife Lynn regarding this issue. We very much appreciate your support and patience.
Please know that we are well organized, and though the other side is focused on a media and political campaign—a campaign we will soon join, we have spent our time and money up to now defining a legal argument that will begin to unfold at the Feb. 15th Garden City P&Z work session. Once that document is accepted into the record and recorded by the Committee, we will publish it on our Web site and e-mail pages—hopefully a few days before the meeting.
We are asking as many neighbors as possible to attend the Feb. 15th Garden City “work session” at The Garden City Hall. Please tell everyone you know to attend. This should be a dry run for the two March meetings. This will be the beginning of our “political-PR campaign” and we really need a good turnout.
This will be in the end a legal fight. Either side it is anticipated will appeal the rulings of the P&Z and City Council. We are in this for the long haul, and we will need a unified front moving forward.
Thank you again for reaching out and your concern and I look forward to meeting you soon.
John Livingston