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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-0919 (72) CityClerk From:Cathy Gates <cathyrgates@outlook.com> Sent:Friday, October 28, 2022 6:33 AM To:CityClerk Subject:Parking in the Entertainment District CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of Fayetteville. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Fayetteville City Council: This is an exciting time in Fayetteville with so much development Downtown and in the Dickson Street Entertainment District. Careful planning is imperative with such transformational change particularly as it relates to parking in the Entertainment District. We own a residential property in the Entertainment District that is strictly for personal use. Additionally, we frequent many of the restaurants and venues in the Entertainment District. With our property, we are awarded residential and guest parking passes and over the last five years, the parking has been sufficient for our needs. We understand that the City Council will soon consider a Letter of Intent for a proposal to develop a 130-room hotel on the South end of the Civic Plaza. This LOI includes a commitment to provide only 32 parking spaces for the 130 hotel rooms, and a vague proposal for offsite valet parking for the remaining parking needs. Development of a large hotel without careful identification of adequate parking for that business does not make sense and could severely impact other businesses and residents in the Entertainment District.. We are grateful that the City decided in 2019 to ensure replacement parking was in place before development of the Civic Plaza started. This sensible approach recognized that development of this area—with new offices, retail and another hotel just north of the Civic Plaza—creates parking demands that must be addressed with a clear plan. The City and downtown businesses worked together to craft a workable approach to parking. In sharp contrast is the lack of planning for parking to serve the South-end hotel, and it will penalize residents, established businesses and their customers as well as future development success. We understand that the Walton Arts Center has partnered with surrounding business owners to invest in a comprehensive, parking study of the District’s current and future needs. That study will be completed in December. Accordingly, it is imperative that additional development decisions be put on hold until the results are available. To do otherwise puts at risk all the careful planning that has occurred to this point. Without adequate parking, the people cannot come to this vibrant area. 1 We love downtown Fayetteville and fully support further development. However, we respectfully request that the parking needs be fully studied and considered in any development plans. Thank you, James D. and Cathy Rogers Gates 2740 East 41st Street Tulsa, Oklahoma 74105 cathyrgates@outlook.com 918 671 7343 221 N. Locust Avenue No. 4 Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701 2