Town Commission Reaches Deadlock on College Parking Proposal

Author: Chesley Thurber

The clock is ticking for the Middlebury Town Planning Commission. Caught in a three to three voting deadlock, the commission now has five weeks to issue a decision regarding Middlebury College's proposed parking expansions.

Public hearings on the parking expansion were officially closed at a meeting of the Commission last Wednesday. According to town law, the Commission must issue a decision with majority approval within 45 days of the close of hearings. Failure to reach a decision would result in automatic approval of the plan.

The Commission will decide on two separate proposals: the first, a 100-space expansion to the Center for the Arts (CFA) lot for event parking, and the second, a new 170-space lot to be built on South Street near Porter Hospital, to be used by first-year students. This is the first major step in the College's satellite parking plan intended to promote the goal of establishing a "pedestrian campus."

At the April 3 hearing, the Commission analyzed both the College's exact need for additional parking as well as possible alternatives to the two proposed expansion projects.

The Commission, chaired by John Barstow, expressed strong concerns that building the 170-space South Street lot was neither necessary nor practical at this time as the exact parking needs could not be determined until current construction projects are finished. "Let's get to 2004 before building parking in that location," said Barstow.

The proposed CFA expansion received a much more divided reaction from the Commission. A preliminary and informal vote by the Commission resulted in a three to three tie. While praised for its safe and aesthetically pleasing design, the expansion would violate an agreement made in July 2000 that the College would not build beyond the current Porter Field Road.

Despite these concerns, Barstow applauded the College's Facilities Planning department and Director of Public Safety Lisa Boudah for their comprehensive analysis of the parking situation and proposed long-term solutions. As a result, the Commission will also consider lifting the hold on the Atwater Commons construction project.

The Commission placed the hold on the project last fall, requiring the College to create a long-term parking plan before tearing up current lots for that construction. Barstow indicated at the meeting last Wednesday that the Commission might lift the hold even if neither of the two current proposals are approved.

That, however, relies heavily upon the College's ability to get final state approval for the Route 125 parking lot already approved by the town's Commission. The state's decision may also influence the Commission's decisions on the CFA expansion and South Street lot proposals. The state's decision, however, may not arrive within the Commission's 45-day deadline.

At stake is not only the Atwater Commons project but the College's satellite parking vision and first-years' parking privileges.

The Commission and town residents voiced skepticism over the intentions and practicality of the satellite system. "I still have questions about parking that is too remote," commented Barstow. Residents vehemently disapproved of what they view as the College's efforts to push student cars further into town so that the College can enjoy the benefits of a pedestrian environment.

Several attendees, including members of the College community expressed their desire to see the College prohibit first-years from bringing cars to campus. Chair of the Faculty Council and Gamaliel Painter Bicentennial Professor of Physics Frank Winkler stated that he had a petition with 64 faculty signatures expressing support for such a ban. Oren Frey '02 endorsed the idea as well. Student parking "needs to be viewed as a privilege," said Frey.

As the Commission weighs these factors, it will also be looking at alternative parking arrangements. Town Planner Fred Dunnington noted again that in order to be approved, a plan must prove to not have any "undue adverse impact," with undue being defined as impact that could be avoided through a better plan.

Dunnington and the Commission looked specifically at two alternatives to the CFA lot. Both plans displace parking spots from the northeast side nearest the Chipman Park neighborhood to other areas surrounding the current lot. While these plans would create a greater buffer between the lot and the neighborhood, they would disrupt the traffic flow, safety and aesthetic of the lot.

Another parking alternative involves creating a lot where the modular homes are currently located, since they are scheduled to be removed in the summer of 2003.

However, the College inadvertently filled a wetland in constructing the modular homes and it may prove very difficult to receive state approval to build parking places in that area.

As the state and town deliberate over these considerations, the College is stuck waiting on the future of the pedestrian campus and commons construction.