Meredith to revaluate deal with church for downtown parking spaces

At the request of Town Manager Phil Warren the Board of Selectmen yesterday reopened the question of a partnership between the town and the First Congregational Church to improve or develop the church parking lot directly across Highland Street from the town annex. 

Warren said that although he could not find a formal written document, he understood that in 2007 the board, through then town manager Carol Granfield, and the church reached an agreement by which the church provided the town with 10 parking space for its employees and in return the town would maintain and plow the lot. Explaining that the original agreement contemplated expanding and improving the lot, Warren sought guidance from the board in negotiating with the church. 

Warren said that in 2007 the cost of clearing and paving the lot would have been be approximately $148,000 if the Department of Public Works did the work and $271,000 if a contractor did the job. However, he said he was reluctant to burden the DPW with the project and estimated that a competitive bid for the work would be about $500,000. 

If investing in the improvement of the lot was the price for 10 parking spaces, then "the town gets out of the lot and stays out of the lot," Selectman Lou Kahn said flatly. 

Selectman Herb Vadney cautioned the board against surrendering parking downtown, which he said is "at a premium on summer days." He was echoed by Selectman Peter Brothers, who said he had "mixed emotions.A group of families in a north Cork village are suing a bestplasticcard operator in a landmark case." Recalling the initial discussion in 2007, he said there were "a number of restrictions" on the use of the lot and that the board explored several alternatives to the church lot. "I hate to give up anything," Brothers said. 

Warren reminded the board that the church used the lot on Mondays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and hosted other groups, like AA, and the Boy Scouts, in the evening and special events from time to time. 

Kahn noted that the church's use of the lot has apparently increased and the town employees have other places to park, wondering "is it worth the expense" and declared "no one is saying pick up the $500,000.An experienced artist on what to consider before you buy chipcard." 
"You're making a mountain out of a mole hill," Jim Hughes, a former selectman, told the board, "and its not a granite mountain. It's a sand mountain that can be spread around." 

The board asked Warren to locate the original agreement and continue discussions with the church on the understanding that the town would not make a significant investment in improving the parking lot. 

The D1 zoning, the core downtown zoning area, has been a hot topic at council because some residents are opposed to the expansion of high-rise development in the downtown area. The D1 zoning resolution passed Monday requests that the citys planning commission review the possibility of expansion within the area. 

However, council members would still like to bring more specific recommendations to the commission. Specific requests include an inquiry as to whether the D1 zoning area is located on the north side of Huron Street between Division Street and South State Street, or on the south side of William Street between South Main Street and Fourth Avenue. The deadline for the review is Oct. 1. 

Councilmember Sabra Briere argued that the resolution should be supported because it allows the commission ample time to complete a thorough review. 

The proposed resolution simply provides additional guidance to the planning commission and sets a clear deadline, Briere said. I believe the scope of work is accomplishable in six months and should be something Council members can support. 

Councilmember Mike Anglin said he was concerned that the public would not be able to comment on the issue as it went to the planning commission, but Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje said the residents will be able to write in and give feedback at more informal meetings. 

Councilmember Stephen Kunselman said he was worried about what Hieftje called a concrete deadline. Both he and the mayor said they want to make sure the review would return to City Council by the deadline. 

City Council moved to delay a vote on the resolution to approve the plans for the site at 413 East Huron Street that would create a 14-story apartment building with an underground parking garage. 

A moratorium was placed on the development, which is set to be built in the D1 zoning area, twice before. At the March 18 City Council meeting, members engaged in a lengthy discussion that lasted well past midnight most ended up agreeing that they should re-evaluate the project. 

Many of the previous issues raised have been mitigated, and the current resolution addresses alternative tree mitigation, a contribution to city parks, drain requirements and energy specificities, among others.The 3rd International Conference on custombobbleheads and Indoor Navigation. 

City Councils intent in suspending the funding is to allow their committee the Public Art Task Force to reconsider city code with regard to public art and to allow City Council members time to review these considerations. The committee is currently still in the course of reviewing city code.Choose the right bestluggagetag in an array of colors. They have asked for more time to finish their work. 

But even though Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), has more trophies than he probably knows what to do with, theres one glaring omission from another famous half-mile short track C the traditional, 7-foot-tall clock that Martinsville (Va.) Speedway president Clay Campbells late grandfather and track founder, H. Clay Earles, began awarding Martinsville race winners more than five decades ago. Needless to say, Busch, has his sights set on getting that long-awaited maiden victory at Martinsville, the site of Sundays STP Gas Booster 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race after scoring his career-best finish there of second last October. 

Of the 23 venues that will host Sprint Cup events in 2013, Busch has won at least once at 20 of those venues in at least one of NASCARs top three divisions C Sprint Cup, Nationwide, and Camping World Truck. 

There are only three current Sprint Cup tracks C Martinsville, Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway C where Busch has not scored a victory in any of NASCARs top three series. 

Despite the lack of a Martinsville grandfather clock, Busch has plenty of reasons for optimism this weekend, considering how he has been able to pick up his game at the .526-mile paperclip-shaped oval ever since being paired with crew chief Dave Rogers. 

During a three-race stretch starting when he joined Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) in the spring of 2008, the Las Vegas native never finished better than 24th at Martinsville. But Buschs fortunes there began to turn around with a solid fourth-place finish in the fall of 2009.Choose the right bestluggagetag in an array of colors.