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<br />that, putting aside legalities, he was confident there was standing to object to the alteration of <br />promises. He stated that the problem with the plan was that there would be no measure of safety <br />in a recommendation for The Loop property owners or the City. He added that he knows how <br />crucial parking is and how crucial visitors are and that this was about visitors and their <br />preferences. He stated that nobody used the structured parking across from the Tivoli and it was <br />an underutilized structure. He added this was just common sense based on preferences and the <br />surface parking lot is like a rare unicorn that should be built upon. He stated that the footprint of <br />the surface parking lot should be enlarged and we would have residential neighborhoods ready <br />for development. He added that attracting new people to live here should not be done on the <br />cheap and everyone keeps looking to that lot as a shortcut. <br /> <br />Mr. Senturia asked Mr. Stone if he had any data about the surface parking lot regarding it not <br />being adequate for surrounding uses. <br /> <br />Mr. Stone stated that to suggest such an alteration to the parking lot, a predicate would be a study <br />about it and it should be studied like the densities that are trying to be created in Parkview <br />Gardens. He stated that it was an attraction as important as the trolley may be in the future. Mr. <br />Stone added that he could confirm that the surface parking lot is over-parked and people would <br />rather leave than park in a garage; and a study would confirm that. He stated that when <br />vacancies come up, new tenants will not want to come. He concluded that there should be a <br />commitment to expand the lot as a surface parking lot with free parking and to involve him as a <br />stakeholder. <br /> <br />Mr. Senturia stated that he just wanted to ask what the present state of information was about the <br />adequacy of the parking lot. <br /> <br />Jessica Bueler, owner of HSB Tobacconist and president of the LSBD, addressed the Plan <br />Commission. <br />Ms. Bueler stated that the LSBD did not have any knowledge that any proposals or discussions <br />were being held about repurposing of the lot until after the public comment session had closed. <br />She stated that at the last LSBD meeting, she took a vote among members if anyone had been <br />included in the process or discussion and not one person raised their hand. She stated that of the <br />two people who had been involved, they stated that they announced the LSBD did not want any <br />development on the parking lot but it was ignored. She added that the Plan stressed the <br />importance of working with the LSBD and asked when and where this occurred. Ms. Bueler <br />stated that the LSBD holds two meetings per month and this issue was never brought before the <br />LSBD. She asked if it was too much to ask for the consultants to attend a meeting to discuss the <br />matter. She stated that the issue was never brought up because they knew the Loop stakeholders <br />would not support any development on the north surface lot but that the stakeholders support <br />increasing the number of surface parking spaces. Ms. Bueler stated that to create any structured <br />parking would fundamentally change the way The Loop welcomes visitors; that patrons have <br />choices and it would reduce the number of visitors. She added that she never parks in a parking <br />garage. Loop business and property owners are being told that the City is disappointed in them <br />for not being involved in the discussions, but they did not know about the discussions. <br /> <br />tm;  šE <br /> <br /> <br />