Old Orchard Business District Advisory Commission

Old Orchard Special Business District Advisory Commission MEETING MINUTES APPROVED MEETING DATE: Tuesday, April 11, 2017 LOCATION: City Hall CALLED TO ORDER: 8:03 AM MEETING ADJOURNED: 9:56 AM NEXT MEETING: Thursday, May 18, 2017 NAME PRESENT ABSENT Joe Fichter, Chair X Angel Venegoni X Claire Winkler X Mary Jane Armstrong X Steve Scheipeter X Holland Saltsman X Robert Weber X John Barr X Steve Zielinski X Frank Janoski, Council Liaison X Mara Perry, City Liaison X APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion to approve the February minutes as was made by Angel Venegoni, seconded by Steve Zielinski, motion was unanimously approved. PARKING UPDATE • Discussion continued on Old Orchard’s parking woes with an update on the meeting that Joe Fichter and John Barr had with the president of Nerinx Hall, John Gabriel. The meeting included a good discussion on the frustrations of the students parking in spots that should be for businesses and their patrons. It was suggested that the one thing that will stop the students from parking there would be to give them tickets or tow their cars. The new garage spaces will be available quite soon and should be encouraged to be used as soon as possible. Wednesdays and Fridays are the late start at Nerinx which are days when many of the spaces are taken that are restricted until 9 am. It is estimated that there are 40-50 students parking. Mr. Gabriel had offered to help pay for a part time person to help monitor and remedy the situation. Letters to parents are going to be sent to let them know students will be towed for parking in the business district. • The area along the back of the businesses on the north side of Big Bend should be the first area to be addressed. It should be negotiated with Bethesda to make that area 3 hour maximum parking and police it. A process for other potential permit spots should be discussed including spots on Log Cabin Lane. Neighborhood streets are also becoming an issue. • Other parking options to look at include the church parking lot across from Nerinx. They actually rent spaces to the Nerinx students. Focus should be on the Bethesda parking area and see what impact the opening of the parking garage has. The sale of the Loretto land could also have an impact on additional parking for Nerinx on their property. CITY UPDATE • The Planning Commission approved request to rezone the piece of property anchored by the former Natural Way location to planned commercial to allow the property owner to do construction; the project is going to City Council on April 18. • Zoning for Short Term Rentals was approved by the Plan Commission and is also going to City Council for a hearing on April 18. • Work continues on residential zoning changes. NEXT MEETING • Thursday April 18, 2017 at 8:00 AM – City Hall (moved from the regular time). ADJOURNED Meeting adjourned at 9:56 AM