Town Council takes a look at proposed parking designs

By Nathan R. Huff

The decade-old dream of increasing parking in the downtown area inched one step closer to reality as Town Council members got their first official look at garage designs.

Parking design consultants Gordon Chong and Partners presented their slightly revised versions of the two proposed downtown parking structures at the Oct. 18 council meeting. They will return on Nov. 1 with new designs incorporating the council's feedback.

The two parking structures are part of the combined town and Town of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce effort to alleviate the downtown parking shortage, a process Councilman Steve Blanton described as resembling "the birth of the universe--there's no beginning or end."

Back in September, the Chamber presented a 10-point proposal to the council aimed at providing both temporary and long-term parking relief, and responding to the council's demand that the Chamber find funding for a second structure--probably through the formation of an assessment district. Paid parking, time limits, and valet parking--approved at the Oct. 18 meeting--were all part of the Chamber's plan.

Most of the council members' comments focused on the location of the ramp in the Bachman and Royce street lot known as Town Lot #2.

While consultants had modified the ramp's location after attendees of an Oct. 9 public review session expressed concern over service access and the use of private property, council members asked the consultants to return with a design using ramps at the street entrances. This would free up more spaces and eliminate the need to use privately owned land.

Nuñes, a Gordon Chong partner, said the ramp was designed for the central location to minimize the number of decisions drivers would have to make before entering the garage, and to make the structure more pedestrian friendly.

"We tried to balance the town's desire to have a user-friendly design with getting as many cars in as possible," Nuñes said. "Now we'll weigh them differently on another scheme and the town can choose what's most important."

The town must also choose whether it wants to go above ground or an extra level below ground on Town Lot #6, located off N. Santa Cruz Avenue on W. Main Street.

Council sentiments seemed to lean toward staying below grade, which would minimize effects on neighboring St. Mary's School, allow for 10 more spaces, and offer better traffic circulation. However, going two levels below would cost slightly more.

Either way, the two structures will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $10.5 million, and how those funds will be generated remains to be finalized. The town has committed $3.5 million, and the Chamber has garnered support for an assessment district of downtown business owners. The remainder--most likely more than half the total cost--would come from permit and pay parking, something that makes Mayor Jan Hutchins nervous.

Hutchins, who was in favor of a more modest, $5 million project, told the Los Gatos weekly-Times that he was "not thrilled with the idea of millions of dollars in indebtedness," and questioned whether pay parking could finance the structures. "When you have a previously free resource that costs money, people are less likely to use it," Hutchins said.

Councilwoman Linda Lubeck was more optimistic, though she acknowledged that finding the financing would be "interesting."

"I'm very hopeful," Lubeck said. "I think we're closer than we've ever been."

Police Report

It's an offer Pocket Dwellers shouldn't refuse

Surveys show that drug use at LGHS remains high

Elemental Arts Gallery features local artists

Picture From the Past

Sports Briefs

Cats come back for win against Mustangs

LG frosh-soph team defeats Homestead

Wildcats take second at Mt. Sac Invitational

Basketball registration now underway