By Katie Farrell Lovett
NEWBURYPORT — A group of citizens is hoping to stop city officials from constructing a downtown parking garage.
The group's organizers, who have not publicly identified themselves, sent a three-page message to city councilors last week, the first concerted effort to oppose the garage plan.
Concerned Citizens Against Downtown Garages is asking the City Council to not pick either of the two sites that are being examined as a location for a multi-story garage, but to instead choose "option three" — no garage.
"Choosing downtown Newburyport as the location for a large multilevel parking garage is a mistake," the statement sent to councilors read. "It is inappropriate, incorrectly researched and will benefit the few and not the many citizens of Newburyport."
The group is also attempting to solicit signatures on an online petition. As of yesterday, 13 people had signed up, among them City Councilor Brian Derrivan. He told The Daily News that he's opposed to the garage and decided to sign the petition, but he's unsure who the members of the concerned citizens group are.
Calls were placed to several petition signers but were not returned.
A public forum to review the two sites — Titcomb Street and Green Street — and potential parking facility designs will be held on April 29 in the City Hall auditorium.
The city is working with the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority and its consultant Tetra Tech Rizzo to determine where the parking facility would go. The facility would house a multistory garage with at least 300 spaces, as well as a bus station for the MVRTA bus line. Mayor Donna Holaday and the City Council must both approve the final site.
Holaday has long stated her desire to choose Titcomb Street.
The citizens group released its document to city councilors last week, stating that the garage would be "inappropriate" and the idea has been "incorrectly researched." "By inserting a large oversized structure into our elegant fragile city, we will be driving more traffic and more cars and buses into our downtown area," they wrote. "Do we really want this to happen? Does anyone know of any residents who do? Have we looked at the impact that such a facility will have on crime, vagrants, pollution and many of the other well-documented negative results of similar facilities? Most importantly, installing the proposed out-of-scale facility will be irreversible. The historic essence, harmony and beauty of our downtown will be changed forever. There will be no going back from such an unnecessary project.SDRq
The group urged the councilors to determine the "actual need and impact."
"Isn't it common sense that before we ask ourselves where we would like to situate a huge downtown parking structure, we should properly determine actual need and impact? We need to scientifically quantify and understand the real parking needs based on a clear, comprehensive and transparent plan for the overall protection and enhancement of our waterfront and our historical downtown area," they wrote.
The committee also raised concerns about putting a bus station downtown.
"Intermodal is a five-dollar word for a busy bus terminal," the document stated. "Do we really want that downtown? We don't know anyone who does. The only reason the current study is being undertaken is because it is being funded by the Merrimack Valley Regional Transportation Authority. Let's face it, is that bus terminal in the middle of our historic downtown because residents have been shouting that we need it or is it because it smooths the bumps for the MVRTA and serves their interests?"
"We already have an intermodal facility at the train station with 814 parking spaces," it continued. "We also just completed a lovely rail trail that connects the downtown with the rail station. That's one problem that has already been solved. We don't need to solve it again at the expense of the essence of our beautiful city."
The group has started a petition against the garage, which can be viewed and signed online through the Web site: wwww.stopthegarage.com or directly at http://www.gopetition.com/online/35505.html.
