The Belleville Downtown Development Authority invited local business and land owners to an informal meeting on Apr. 30.
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The purpose of the meeting was to directly invite those whose businesses and property would be directly affected by the proposed Liberty Street Parking Lot improvements.
The lot, known locally simply as the Andrews drug store parking lot, is actually owned by the city of Belleville.
Downtown Development Authority administrator Carol Thompson acted as moderator for the less than dozen people who showed up.
The Belleville DDA has taken flack for what the Concerned Business Owners considered a lack of communication for proposed projects.
Ron Hanson and Dave Batter from Spicer Group, engineers and planners who often work closely with the DDA, stressed the parking lot improvements were strictly a proposed plan.
Belleville City Council member Rick Dawson noted the uneven sidewalks and flooding which occurs year round in the alley running between Main and North Liberty Streets needs to be addressed if an improvement plan was to be considered.
The alley is often a sheet of ice in winter since direct sunlight only hits in the early morning hours.
"As a cost effective measure we could look at leveling off the alley," the Spicer Group's Batter said.
"Drainage would be a huge part of fixing up the parking lot," Dawson said, also noting that there was a lot of salt used in the public lot during the winter months.
"Any project involving drainage involves water quality and an oil and water separator would be installed," Hansen said.
"A new drainage infrastructure could be involved," Batter replied.
Dawson asked if the number of entrances could be cut back to two main egress or ingress points.
Relocating the large, enclosed dumpster would be considered since it stands nearer to North Liberty Street than the back entrances of Main Street businesses.
A representative from Andrews' Sav-On Drugs agreed his employees would like to see the dumpster relocated closer to the store.
Exiting Andrews' through the store's back parking lot door also was discussed. There is only a few feet between the door and the alley and if a delivery truck is parked there, it's hard for pedestrians to see traffic coming at them.
"A stop sign in the back of the alley behind Andrews' would be a good idea," Belleville Pro Hardware's Mike Windiate said.
"For safety reasons, all strip malls have top signs."
Windiate also noted the lack of lighting in the public lot.
"There's no lighting at the drug store and they stay open until 9 p.m. It can be kind of scary out there."
Another issue noted by the engineers was the electric and telephone lines that crisscross the alley that
have been ripped down by larger delivery vehicles in the past.
Participants also discussed the possibility of opening up the Fourth Street mall, which technically is still roadway though not accessible to vehicle traffic.
With the closings of both the Bayou Grill and the Bangkok CafÈ in one year, opening up those buildings into several smaller shops or offices facing Fourth Street could be a possibility.
"The next step (in the parking lot improvement proposal) is to get a survey crew, put some design concepts together and get the input of he Belleville DDA and DPS," Hansen said.
"Then, we'll look to the DDA for finalization."
Dawson who stressed the parking lot and Fourth Street also should include a bike path and motorcycle parking.
"We want to be known as a biking and walking community," Dawson said.
"We want something well lit and nice that says, "Come on down."
The project most likely could not be completed due to the infrastructure work.
The next regular scheduled Belleville DDA meeting is at 7:30 p.m. May 21 in the Municipal Building's city council chambers at 6 Main Street.
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