By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
With last year’s extensive East Gateway project all but a memory, Whitewater officials are turning their attention toward another issue impacting the downtown area: parking.
Chris Muntz-Pritchard, neighborhood services director, announced at a Common Council meeting June 2 that a series of efforts will take place early this summer to assess parking in the downtown area.
The overtures include public meetings aimed at gathering feedback to examine what enhancements need to be added to the parking schematics, in addition to looking at ways to improve the parking plans already in place.
In other recent business, the council:
- Voted to rezone a parcel of land at 896 S. Janesville St. to the community business district classification in anticipation of the construction of a parking lot that will serve a business that is adjacent to the property.
The property has sat empty for several years and had remained unpaved following the construction of the nearby highway bypass.
- Discussed plans to hold public information meeting June 23 on anticipated upgrades to the city’s wastewater treatment facility. The meeting will include tours of the existing facility and outline some of the future plans;
- Delayed a decision to purchase a new paint truck. City Manager Cameron Clapper said details concerning the expenditure are still being worked out. He indicated he will bring purchase request back to the council for further deliberation and consideration in July;
- Voted to pay resident Samantha Allan $500 for the right to use a portion of her land along George Street.
The city sought an easement from Allan to accommodate construction equipment that will be transported over the impacted property once the oft-discussed reconstruction of the neighborhood roadway takes place next year.
