AMHERST — A development plan that could turn most of the parking lot in front of Town Hall into a landscaped plaza and green space is receiving favorable reviews from several members of the Town Council, though other councilors are raising concerns about replacing the lost parking elsewhere downtown.
While an extensive renovation of the Main Street parking lot and the North Common has been planned since 2018, including one concept that could cost close to $2 million, councilors had their first extended discussion this week about how they would approach the project.
“As we’re moving to higher-density, walkable neighborhoods and multimodal transit, the symbolism of taking a parking lot off our historic green Town Common would be a really powerful statement,” District 4 Councilor Evan Ross said.
Ross added that he wants to reactivate the deteriorating area bounded by Main, Spring and South Pleasant streets, and is supportive of what could be an economic driver. Eliminating parking could also fit with the town’s climate action goals, Ross said.
Planning Director Christine Brestrup provided a brief overview of plans developed both by consultant Weston & Sampson of Rocky Hill, Connecticut, and the town’s Department of Public Works. The plans, which range in cost between $1.5 million and $1.9 million, would depend on a new appropriation of $500,000 from the Community Preservation Act fund, and possibly a Parklands Acquisition and Renovations for Communities state grant that would be sought next summer, and private fundraising.
“It’s key to revitalizing downtown, it’s critical for our economic development and is crucial for rebuilding downtown post-COVID,” Brestrup said.
The DPW’s plan cuts the 32 existing spaces and two handicapped spaces down to 20 spaces and two handicapped spaces.
Like Ross, At-Large Councilor Mandi Jo Hanneke said she has long favored transforming the North Common appearance back to one devoid of vehicles. District 4 Steve Schreiber said he is concerned about investing money in re-creating a parking lot.
District 1 Councilor Cathy Schoen, though, said she needs to be convinced that Amherst can replicate parking elsewhere, after hearing an outcry about this from businesspeople, and At-Large Councilor Alisa Brewer said there is uncertainty about whether the town can gain enough spaces along Boltwood Avenue if the street is made one-way and parallel spaces become diagonal spaces. The idea of offsetting the loss of parking has also been discussed with the possibility of building a new parking garage between North Pleasant and North Prospect streets.
Assistant Town Manager David Ziomek said an overarching sentiment at previous public hearings was to eliminate the parking on the common, though business leaders and others advocated for preserving spaces for restaurants, retailers and people conducting business at Town Hall.
“It was definitely a compromise plan,” Ziomek said. “We heard from a lot of people who wanted to do something bold and make a real statement.”
Earlier plans had the famous Merry Maple tree being removed, but the latest plan eliminates just three smaller trees, those that are the least healthy and with the worst chance of surviving the construction, DPW Superintendent Guilford Mooring said.
In addition to the extensive landscaping needed, new benches and tree boxes installed in the 1960s, the project would include placing of pavers, possibly so the weekly farmers market could set up on them, and the restoration of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union fountain.
The council tasked its subcommittee, the Town Services and Outreach Committee, with spending 90 days considering the options before bringing back a recommendation so the project can begin.
Council President Lynn Griesemer said the North Common is an “eyesore” and thatthe plan should make the community proud.
Brewer, though, said she doesn’t want to see comparisons to Pulaski Park in Northampton. “Pulaski Park is way nicer than this is going to be,” she said.
District 3 Councilor Dorothy Pam said she would be happy to see a renovated common similar to the one in her hometown of Windsor, Connecticut.
“I think we want that sense of green, and grass and paths people can walk on, something that is more accessible, and that represents a calm, green spirit in the center of town,” Pam said.