CIVIC PARKING FOR BURNS SQUARE

The Downtown Parking Master Plan points out eight top priority locations for civic parking facilities, Burns Square is identified in three of them.  First, Burns Square is identified as the number 3 priority with a civic facility to be built on or around the Verizon parcel by 2008.  The second time as number 5 priority with a civic facility on the north side of Burns Square around Pineapple Avenue to be completed by 2010 and lastly as the number 6 priority to be completed by 2011 on the County Administration Building on Ringling Boulevard.

It is desirable for Civic parking facilities to be within acceptable distance from various businesses, particularly anchor businesses such as the Burns Court Cinema.  Acceptable distance is within 500 walking feet (variables apply).  Because of limited available parcels, only three were identified as acceptable locations during the Burns Square Property Owners 2005 Charrette (Orange/Dolphin, Verizon, Woman's Exchange).  Today, those remain the locations of interest.  Our first choice remains the Orange/Dolphin parcel, second the Woman's Exchange parcel and third the Verizon parcel.

The City Commission approved entering into negotiations with Michael Saunders for the Verizon parcel on November 5th, 2007 (http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20071106/NEWS/711060403/-1).  At the following City Commission meeting, the City Commission approved entering into negotiations with the Woman's Exchange for their parcel on November 19th, 2007 (http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20070924/NEWS/709240491/-1/xml&display=Salestirsupneighborhoods).  Only one parcel will most likely be purchased for the benefit of a civic parking facility.

In addition, the Burns Square Property Owners through the work completing the 2007 improvements to the 2005 Master Plan identified opportunities for extra on-street parking.  Everyone highly values on-street parking and hope over the years the city can continue to look for ways to add those spaces.  Through the installment of the roundabout at Orange and Pineapple we will be able to add additional spaces between Alderman and Oak on Orange Avenue.  Through various studies, Burns Square needs around 700 addition parking spaces upward to 2000 new spaces as the area develops.

Civic Parking is important to Burns Square so development can be kept within a lower scale excluding the need for buildings to bulk for internal parking requirements.