Board of Aldermen 04-12-2022 Page 19
people who were adamantly opposed to the barriers. | did receive your e-mails. | did hear because some of you called. |
did hear you. | think the people who are against the barriers, you know, kind of summarize their opposition. We've heard
it and forgive me for saying it over and over again, but people objected to the traffic congestion. They objected to the
appearance of the barriers. They objected to the barriers taking away some parking and the issue of the emergency
vehicles — police, and fire, and ambulance. So | know people felt very strongly about this and the fact that we have not
rejected the barriers completely is very disappointing to them. But the issues that that people raised were all considered.
Were all looked at. This plan was an effort to, you know, | should say there were also a lot of people who loved the
expanded outdoor dining. Not only sidewalk dining, but the expanded into the street. So they were very much in favor of
our continuing this program. So this plan that we worked long and hard on and we tried to compromise. | think one of the
biggest compromises is removing the barriers from the Water/Park, Main Street intersection to Franklin, Canal, and Main
Street intersection.
Our City Engineer expressed the opinion that he thought that that would go a long way on relieving a lot of that congestion
that people have complained about. | don't Know. I'm hoping he's right. | think he's right and | hope that he's right. We'll
have to see what happens this summer. The appearance issue, we voted to paint them all a neutral color. The parking
issue, we removed a lot of the barriers. We provided for a lot more parking and the emergency vehicle issue. | know
people talk about the police and fire but the Police Chief and the Fire Chief are both here. Neither one of them said that
they were against this. They both kind of said we’ll have to see. The plan is new and we'll have to see how it works out.
The City Engineer talked about how he has provided for space between the barriers and the first lane of traffic. In his
opinion, this allows some room for vehicles to move over to allow emergency vehicles to pass. And again, I'm hoping he's
right about that.
So you know, | want people to know that | urge you. | worked very hard on this. | made a lot of motions. | won some. |
lost some and | want to remind everybody that the ordinance says that this is adjustable. Tweaks can be made. Upon
recommendation of the Director of Public Works, the Parking Manager, and the approval of the Committee on
infrastructure, the Mayor may adjust locations of barriers, parking spaces, fees for parking time for parking spaces, and
location of parking spaces as circumstances warrant. So it's, you know, not cast in concrete, pardon the pun. So
adjustments can be made.
The other issue that was that was raised was the objection to the restaurants being allowed to use sidewalk space and
street space without paying anything for it. | heard that. A motion was made to charge a fee and some of us voted for
that but the majority voted against it and the suggestion was made that that this is an issue that is not forgotten. The
Mayor has indicated that he he's willing to look at it. The Chairman of the Task Force, Chairman O'Brien, suggested that
this is something that that should be studied further. So it's not completely out of the picture. I'm hoping that we'll
continue to look at that. On that issue, | hope people understand that, you Know, we're no one Alderman can make things
happen the way he or his constituents want it. It's the Board of Aldermen that acts as a Board so we have to reach a
consensus. There comes a time when you don't have the votes, you don't have the votes and you have to do the best
you can. The Committee voted for this plan and I'm supporting it because, you know, | think we tried hard to come up with
a compromise that will hopefully allow for expanded outdoor dining without harming the other businesses downtown and
without causing too much inconvenience to the rest of the residents in the city. So thank you.
Alderman Klee
Thank you, Madam Chairman. | know a lot of work was done and hopefully | don't muddy the waters here but I'd like to
make an amendment to what has been passed or what has been voted on. I'd like to amend to return to full spaces in
front of 127 Main Street, which is San Francisco Kitchen. That would be striking the shortening the length of the barriers
of the northwest corner of Factory Street and Main Street by 20 feet from the north side and returning those two spaces.
I'd also like in addition to motion to allow that beyond that, those two spaces, that one dedicated and signed handicapped
spot be placed there. The two spaces does displace a handicap spots that’s there so I'd like to move a handicap spot that
has signage and is directly there in front of the Wingate. | think basically in front of the Wingate property there as well as
to move the 15 minute parking behind that. So it would be the two spaces for San Francisco Kitchen, the single
handicapped space behind that, and 15 minute parking.
MOTION BY ALDERMAN KLEE TO AMEND TO RETURN TO FULL SPACES IN FRONT OF 127 MAIN STREET (SAN
FRANCISCO KITCHEN) - SHORTENING THE LENGTH OF THE BARRIERS OF THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF
FACTORY STREET AND MAIN STREET BY 20 FEET FROM THE NORTH SIDE AND RETURNING THOSE TWO
SPACES - THAT ONE BE DEDICATED AND SIGNED A HANDICAPPED SPOT BE PLACED THERE, AND TO MOVE
A HANDICAPPED SPOT THAT HAS SIGNAGE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE WINGATES
ON THE QUESTION
