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Rarey wants parking lot in downtown Groveport
(by Rick Palsgrove, Southeast Editor - March 16, 2010)
Groveport Village Councilman Ed Rarey believes the grassy vacant lot at the northeast corner of Main and Front streets can be put to better use as a parking lot.
"We've had this (village owned) vacant piece of property for a number of years," Rarey said at Groveport Village Council's March 8 meeting. "I don't see the development happening there, at least not for five years."
Rarey said the village's historic downtown needs more parking, especially for those attending programs at Groveport Town Hall.
"We're in need now. We need to do something to alleviate the parking situation so it doesn't negatively affect Town Hall," said Rarey, adding he doesn't want to see the limited parking combine with budget cuts at Town Hall to cause programming there to "die on the vine."
Currently there is a municipal parking lot south of Main Street and street parking available downtown. Last year council limited parking on Front Street to Elm Street by making it residential permit parking only.
Rarey said the municipal lot fills up quickly with customers for the downtown businesses and, in the summer, with those attending Little League baseball games at nearby Groveport Elementary.
The village has been working with Pizzuti Solutions LLC to develop the site, known as the Groveport Town Center, since 2005. Last fall, Shannon Hamons, special projects director for Pizzuti Solutions LLC, indicated to council that the project has not come to fruition due to the sluggish economy. In November, Pizzuti agreed to the village's offer of a one year extension of their development agreement with a 30 day opt out provision.
Plans for the site call for a potential retail/office development that includes: two, 19th century style two story brick buildings with varied storefronts, one 5,929 square feet and the other 9,160 square feet; parking in the rear in the former Ohio and Erie Canal bed, as well as some spaces on Main Street, that would accommodate 146 vehicles; and a public space at the west end of the development at Main and Front streets.
At council's March 15 meeting, council members Ed Dildine and Donna Drury disagreed with Rarey's parking lot proposal.
"We all know we need parking downtown," said Dildine. "But I don't want to break the agreement with Pizzuti. I don't want to lose that opportunity for development of the Groveport Town Center."
Dildine said, citing the village's budget cuts and decreased income tax revenues, building the proposed parking lot "may end up costing us money we don't have."
Added Drury, "I don't think this is the time to throw money at a parking lot."
Council will further discuss the proposal to place a parking lot on the site at its March 22 meeting.
Income tax revenue
Finance Director Ken Salak reported village income tax revenues for February 2010 were $454,514 compared to $737,563 in 2009, a decrease of 38 percent.
Total income tax revenues so far in 2010 are $1.8 million, a decrease of 35 percent compared to this time in 2009.
Citing expected incoming new business growth in the village in 2010, Salak stated, "We anticipate a turnaround this year."
Cost of living increase
Council heard the first reading of an ordinance to set the annual cost of living adjustment for village employees. The proposed legislation would increase the maximum pay for each pay grade by 2.8 percent, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index for the previous 12 months.
"By increasing the top end of the pay scale, only those employees that are topped out, or near being topped out, would be affected," reported Salak. "There would not be an across the board increase for employees. Pay increases would still be based on merit."
Councilwoman Jan Stoots said she did not agree with the ordinance, noting freezes in income throughout the country in programs such as Social Security.
Council will discuss the ordinance further at its March 15 committee of the whole meeting.
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