Plenty of parking, but village not using it
From Mount Prospect's standpoint, the good news is there is plenty of downtown parking.
The question is the best way to utilize it.
On Tuesday, Community Development Director Bill Cooney delivered a report to village trustees about downtown parking.
The report is the result of meetings with a downtown parking committee consisting of representatives of police, public works and community development.
Cooney said the village has more than 3,600 spaces in the downtown, including more than 800 street spaces, 900 in public lots and garages and nearly 300 in the Metra lots.
However, he said, the spaces have been underused. For example, in the evening, about 400 spaces typically are available in the village's parking deck, including spaces for the library.
Cooney said the parking deck could provide an opportunity as The Emerson condo/retail development fills out and plans for the downtown "triangle" come to fruition.
Cooney suggested the village hall parking deck also could be used for overnight guest parking for nearby condominiums.
In addition, he said, there could be an opportunity to lease the nearby Chase Bank parking lot to use its roughly 100 spaces during the evening.
"We see it as an asset that's underutilized during the evening hours," Cooney said.
Among the issues Cooney addressed before the board was the demand for employee parking along Prospect Avenue. He suggested issuing parking passes on the north side of Prospect Avenue to employees for a nominal fee.
Prospect Avenue, he added, also could be used for employees in businesses along Elmhurst Avenue, although they also could use the village parking deck.
Residential parking also was broached, with the possibility the Maple Street parking lot, which is underutilized to the tune of about 80 spaces during the week, could address the needs of nearby multifamily residences. Cooney said, though, that concerns have been raised about snow plowing.
Finally, Cooney said signage is a concern when it comes to the village's public parking. He floated the idea of hiring a consultant to look into signage needs.