To the Editor:
The Developer plans 16 reserved parking spaces for seven residential units – more than two spaces for each. Where these reserved spaces are placed will have a significant impact on Spanish Springs:
1. Whether the area around the square feels welcoming to Villagers or, rather, that the square is already “taken” and visitors are left with longer walks from the far reaches of the parking lots.
2. Whether this inconvenience will discourage Villagers from patronizing businesses located there and eventually cause them to leave, which would provide the Developer with justification to convert more space to residential.
Furthermore, the allocation of reserved parking spaces begs the issue of why the units’ vehicles will not have garages. A recreational/shopping area taken over by vehicles loses its ambiance for pedestrians. We don’t tend to linger where we are confronted by them.
Villagers need to be not only involved in this decision, but have the determining say as to where these spaces are located.
Marlene Hartman
Village of Woodbury