Downtown Parking Plan Among Ideas Previewed for Council

Former Bank of America parking lot from overhead. BING SATELLITE IMAGE

Much of the Southington Town Council’s February 9 meeting was devoted to previews, as members were briefed on plans that will require decisions at upcoming meetings. Several of the plans had to do with infrastructure.

New Parking Lot Improvements

The town’s Parking Authority laid out ideas for utilizing the newly-acquired Bank of America parking area. Authority Chair Michael Riccio presented a plan that he said had a “ton of input from members and Town staff.”

The plan in question eliminates lanes and guardrails that are no longer needed in order to create close to a dozen new parking spaces in the area and improve the overall flow and look. “With the guardrails gone, it creates better flow and better access” for nearby businesses, he said.

His group sought to create a more “parklike atmosphere” for the Town Green on Apple Alley and reduce the need for pedestrians to cross the street or cut between parked cars, especially at popular events like the Farmer’s Market. Riccio said he did not foresee any issue with work being done during the Apple Harvest Festival, but would work with that Committee to ensure smooth operations.

He also addressed the need for new safety lighting that “doesn’t break the bank and is tastefully done,” stressing that, in a “tight” budget year, not all of the work had to be done at once. It was his hope to match existing light poles on adjacent streets and possibly replace the “ugly” overhead wires with below-ground wiring.

“We think it will be great for the merchants,” Riccio added, “and great for using the Green.” He estimated that the money the town spent in the past to improve the look of the area, some $5 million in today’s dollars by his calculations, has paid for itself 10 to 20 times over in terms of tax revenues.

Riccio further speculated that restaurant owners, including group taking over the former Bank of America building on Center Street, might someday need to utilize a valet service on busy nights to ferry people from the lot up on Riccio Way. He pointed out that having a shortage of parking is better than having empty lots and empty tables.

Sewer Billing Schedule Change

Sewers were a source of controversy last month when billing issues became a point of public discussion. Chairman Tony Morrison informed the Council that a major change to the billing cycle may require action next month.

The Sewer Committee discussed at its most recent meeting the possibility of changing the billing cycle from four times a year to twice a year. A possible drawback to this change is that users would receive a bigger bill. However, according to Morrison, changing the billing cycle could provide more efficiency in the collections process and fewer past-due accounts. Such a change, he added, would have to be done in March for “timing reasons.” It will be discussed at the next Committee meeting before the Council takes any decision.

Local Ordinance Issues

 

Morrison also reported on three topics that were discussed at the February 6 meeting of the Ordinance Committee.

An ordinance to address the use of electric bikes on Town properties is “on hold” as the Town awaits more guidance, Morrison said. The state classifies e-bikes into four categories based on power wattage, ranging from the pedal-assisted style all the way up to motorcycles, each with its own regulations, which are spelled out in this chart provided by the Southington Police Department:

Two issues that remain open, Morrison said, are how to treat motorized scooters that have become popular among middle-schoolers, and whether to require helmet use. A recent change to Connecticut statutes raised the ages at which helmets were required for some forms of motorized transport but apply differently to different classes of vehicle.

Police enforcement of existing laws is difficult, Morrison noted, especially on the Farmington Canal Trail, since officers prefer not to initiate chases that could result in damage or injuries.

The issue of chalk graffiti on town property was also discussed. As Morrison framed it, the question is not one of free speech but of vandalism. He noted that political speech on town property is not currently permitted. While chalk is generally a temporary problem that doesn’t require intervention, some chalked messages are longer lasting. The committee asked the Town Attorney to look the matter further and has yet to come to any decisions on it.

Finally, the committee also took up the issue of payments for emergency calls by the Fire Department. According to the minutes of the Ordinance Committee, the Department responds to between 400 and 500 motor vehicle accidents annually on roads in town. A California-based company, Fire Recovery USA, presented a possible service solution, billing the at-fault drivers for the cost of the response. Insurance companies pay these bills in about 70% of cases. The firm takes 22% of the recovered money and sends the rest to the town. This matter too awaits further discussion.

Bridges and Mailboxes

Council member Michael DelSanto reported from the Public Works Committee. He flagged an upcoming presentation from the state Department of Transportation that will discuss the replacement of the three bridges in town that cross I-84. That presentation will be coming on March 4.

DelSanto also noted that there were some 70 complaints of damaged mailboxes following the recent heavy snow. He noted that damage has to be from town plows, not snow itself or private operators, in order for the town to assume responsibility.

Self Insurance

Town Council Chair Paul Chaplinsky provided an update on the Self-Insurance Committee, which was disbanded earlier this term and its duties folded into the Board of Finance. Under the new arrangement, the Board of Finance will address the topic of self-insurance at every other meeting. A third-party contractor will provide an update for the Board, the public, and the finance directors for the town and the schools.

Public Feedback Channel

Chaplinsky also highlighted the Town’s feedback form for suggestions and complaints, which can be found under the Quick Links section of the Town website.

He said he hoped to drive traffic to that site to provide a “repository” of comments in the interest of transparency and ease of follow-up. In addition, the email addresses for communicating with individual Council members are migrating to the new .gov domain and can be found on the website.

Upcoming Special Budget Meeting

In consultation with Board of Finance Chair John Leary, Chaplinsky also announced a special Town Council meeting for Monday, April 6, on the Monday prior to the regularly-scheduled session. The only agenda item will be discussion of the budget. Members of the public are encouraged to attend the session and make their voices heard.

“The hope here is if we have questions for the Manager, the Superintendent, the Finance Director, then we will have an opportunity to ask those questions and give them a week for the questions to be answered,” explained Chaplinsky. He added that he hoped to keep the public hearing open following the meeting and continue it to the next Town Council meeting, at which time a budget could potentially be adopted.