There are so many questions that have not been adequately asked and answered about the rezoning of the CVS parking lot. Here are a few:
1. Why do we “need” to rezone the lot in order to find out if a garage can be built there? Are there other reasons to rezone that lot? If not, study the idea of a parking garage first.
2. Why do people continue to believe there is a parking shortage when every study commissioned by the town says otherwise, including the last one done in 2016 by Nelson/Nygaard, who said the following: “On a typical weekday (Thursday) there are more than 1,500 empty spaces throughout all hours of the day. On a typical weekend day (Saturday), there are also more than 1,500 empty spaces throughout the day. Of all about 1,000 publicly-accessible spaces (including on- and off-street), about 450 spaces are empty at the busiest time on a weekday. Of all about 400 on-street permit-parking-only spaces, about 175 are unused at the busiest times on a weekday.” These are but a few of the findings done in this 93-page study which can be found on the Town of Amherst website.
3.What studies are there showing that the professional studies are wrong?
4. It has been said that our high taxes are partly because of our less than robust commercial base and that a parking garage would go a long way toward improving commerce downtown. Given the results of parking studies, perhaps there are other reasons for our low commercial base in Amherst? Perhaps the extremely high cost of rental space downtown has something to do with it? Perhaps there should be a study done to find out what would make Amherst more attractive to commerce?
5. Who will get the proceeds from a parking garage? The town or the developer?
6.What will be the town’s loss of parking income from the loss of the CVS parking lot?
7. For this garage to be built, the privately owned section of the current lot will have to be purchased. Will the developer or the town purchase the private part of the current lot? Is it true that the town will donate the town-owned land to the developer? If the town, not the developer buys the private lot, will that also be donated? If the town donates all the land and the developer gets all the income from the lot, is that a good deal for the town?
8. How many year round parking spots would there be? That’s where the real money is. Given the lack of parking for the new residential buildings downtown, wouldn’t this project end up simply providing year round parking for those new residents? How will that benefit our shopkeepers and restaurants?
9. Shouldn’t there be a study done of the pros and cons of various sites? What about Pray Street, for one.
Given the serious lack of study, this proposed rezoning in order to study the feasibility of a garage in that site looks like cart before the horse and in too much of a rush.
Gerry Weiss is a former member of the Amherst Select Board, 2004-2010.