Roundhouse Parking Lot and abutterWayne,
Thanks for your swift response to my inquiries. Let me say that all my questions
presumed that re‐zoning would take place.
1. I would of course like to see detailed plans of the land as soon as it is
available. I am of course concerned that the portion of my land being
considered would also be the portion I would be considering for parking if
the rezoning actually happens. I would want to make sure that was not
interfered with by the re‐grading.
WAYNE: We will share with you as soon as we get the plans. Given that
your 22’ side strip is too narrow to be part of a parking lot and we are
not going to do grading for that entire strip, I doubt that there is any
conflict.
2. I will keep in touch with Eric concerning the request for property. And would
also appreciate contact from you when that is in process.
WAYNE: OK. Eric and I have been trying to set up a meeting on another
project as well. When we do that I am sure we will talk about this project at
the same time. That cannot be before mid‐May because of my own schedule.
3. Question: I understand from our meeting that only one driveway will be
allowed.
Given that my property is only @22 ft at that point would it be invalid by
itself as a driveway?
Has it been eliminated as a possibility?
WAYNE: Yes, one driveway is all that we will allow to minimize bike path
crossings and any parking spot loss on our property. Our requirements will
be 1) that the property owners come together and make it work jointly, 2)
that the access to the parking lot is safe and 3) IF the land for our expanded
parking lot and grading is not donated to the city that any loss of parking
spaces in the lot for the driveway will have to be made up.
4. I guess I misunderstood from our meeting that your request was for
temporary access for grading. Since we all miscalculated the sq. footage
(22x25) I presumed that was the land you were requesting be donated. Also
when I asked if the city wanted it donated I thought you had said preferably
but it could pay a minimal price.
WAYNE: We are absolutely happy to pay. There are two issues.
First, we can’t pay more than an appraisal says and I believe that the thin strip
we want will not have a great value, especially because arguably our expansion
providing parking and a more gradual slope probably ADDs to the value of the
property.
Second, IF we pay for the land, we would require that any new access driveway
replaces the two or three spaces that we would lose to accommodate that
driveway.
5. As I stated above I was asking these questions presuming that rezoning
would be done. I realize that as the property is now it is not possible to
develop or reach from the city lot.
Question: I do wonder that if the rezoning took place and there was a
driveway access from the city lot that my new commercicial/or residential
lot could have access from both the city lot and from Old South St. Is that
correct?
WAYNE: Correct. We only allow a driveway across a residentially
zoned property that is from Old South Street to the new development,
with approval from the Planning Board. They would look carefully at
traffic safety. If your new lot was developed with low traffic uses they
would probably approve it (e.g., a few housing units) but if it was high
volume traffic they would probably not without Roundhouse access. It
would all depend on the details, traffic safety, and impacts on
abuttters.
6/7. I realize that the land as is now is not valuable in a the way you characterize
it, however, if I were to construct a residential unit in connection to my
present lot( I have discussed this Carolyn) I would need the land to meet city
guidelines for open space, parking etc.
So in that sense it is valuable to me.
WAYNE: you would not need it for open space or zoning requirements. In
the Central business district the requirements are so minimal as to be
easy to meet (unlike in a residential area). Again, for parking I agree in
theory but I think that the land we want is an area that it would not do
you any good for parking. For those reasons I don’t think it is valuable
to you when you look at it in detail.
8. Since this property has not been on the market, nor developed, I guess this is
an untested concept. I realize however that with rezoning and possible
development its value would certainly increase.
9. See 1, 6/7