Parking plan aims to revitalize downtown Palmer

August 13, 2006

By JOEL DAVIDSON

Frontiersman

PALMER - In an effort to encourage business development in the downtown business area, the Palmer City Council unanimously approved a revised parking plan Tuesday night.

The new arrangement relaxes the number of parking spaces downtown businesses must provide.

It also creates a central public parking area at the Palmer Depot, where people can park and walk to surrounding businesses.

Previously, Palmer businesses couldn't count the Depot as part of their required parking.

Council members expressed concerned that the lack of public parking was creating more businesses surrounded by asphalt parking lots.

Under the new plan, businesses will be able to count a portion of public parking toward their overall required number of spots.

Businesses utilizing this option will pay fees for upkeep and maintenance of the parking lot. To promote growth, the city council can waive those fees.

Council member Tony Pippel spoke in support of the new plan.

&#8220I'm in favor of this, because we are not getting the type of development that we really want now,” he told the council.

The Palmer Depot parking lot is the first designated central public parking lot in Palmer's core area. Others may follow as downtown grows.

The plan also removes landscape requirements for parking lots with less than five spaces.

City officials hope that will increase overall parking in the central business area, without forcing small lots to squeeze out viable parking spots in favor of landscaping.

The project also aims to make it easier for property owners to renovate and upgrade old lots, with hopes of encouraging new business developments.

In the future, Pippel said, he'd like to see a comprehensive parking plan for the entire central business area, a space that roughly runs from the Glenn Highway east to South Gulkana Street, and from East Fireweed Avenue north to East Cottonwood Avenue.

As Palmer continues to grow, Pippel said, he favors provisions that encourage downtown developers to construct buildings right up to the sidewalks.

South Alaska Street in Palmer is a clear example of this development style, where a long row of businesses hugs the sidewalk in a more classical town

layout.

Community development coordinator Sara Jansen said there is no ordinance that requires street front development, but she also favors moving in that direction.

&#8220Personally, I like the idea of having the buildings right up on the street,” she said.

Contact Joel Davidson at 352-2266 or joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.