The proposal would establish a process for a business owner to apply for a special permit to add parking in some residential areas.
Eric Suher, owner of Mountain Park concert site, wasn't at Holyoke City Hall for parking debate Tuesday, but his presence was felt.HOLYOKE – Eric S. Suher wasn’t in the room, but a lot of people said they felt the presence of the music-venue owner as debate ended at City Hall on a parking proposal.
The City Council Ordinance Committee and the Planning Board voted Tuesday to close a public hearing on a proposed ordinance that would allow for the application of special permits to have parking lots in some residential areas.
It was from a recent Suher proposal that the idea arose to try to provide a way for businesses to gain extra parking space. This would be achieved by allowing for the application for a condition-laden special permit from the City Council to allow a parking lot in a residential zone.
Suher in February withdrew one proposal to add a lot of 200 to 300 spaces at the Mountain Park performance venue he owns and the city rejected another of his proposals.
A big objection of some residents in the Highlands Neighborhood during the Suher debate was that allowing the parking lot he sought would have required a zone change.
A zone change at the Mountain Park site – from the current Residential Agricultural to Business Highway – would have allowed what some foes consider to be intrusive uses later besides just parking, such as hotels, restaurants with drive-through service and transportation terminals.
So officials sought a way to address a business owner’s needs while heeding homeowners’ concerns. The proposal to allow parking by special permit came forth.
“The tools of compromise are before us....The city cannot survive if we don’t (help) the business community. The business community is nothing without the residential community,” council President Joseph M. McGiverin said.
But the proposal seems like a scheme to get around the zone-change denial for Suher, said Michael O’Connor, of Central Park Drive.
“This is not right,” O’Connor said.
Suher later refused to say whether he plans to refile the zone change request or, if the proposal passes, would seek a special permit to add parking at Mountain Park.
“I can’t comment on anything, company policy,” Suher said by phone.
Closing the hearing means further comments and other information from the public on the matter are prohibited.
The Ordinance Committee and the Planning Board will vote recommendations on the proposal. The full City Council will consider the recommendations and public hearing testimony in deciding whether to adopt the ordinance.