After an evening at the last Village Board meeting of speeches, imploring, and, as Estates POA President Bob Rothchild noted, "tennis match-esque" action with resolutions being drafted back and forth around the Board Room, a resolution written by Trustee Torino, ironically almost identical to the one proposed by Tornio which was defeated a month ago, was passed unanimously by the Board.

While a resolution was reached at about 10:30 p.m. Thursday, June 17, the road to get there was bumpy and it's clear that the Village is still as divided over the issue of parking, related to the proposed purchase of 116 Eleventh Street, as ever.

Mort Yuter, a "regular" at Board meetings noted with regard to the back and forth of resolutions and debate among the trustees themselves, "It seems to me that there's a lot of private authorship and egos on this."

The final resolution passed states:

"Be it resolved that the Planning Commission is requested to review the current parking situation on the west side of Franklin Avenue, between Sixth and Eleventh Streets and the scope of study shall be as follows:

"1. Ascertaining the availability of existing parking spaces in the Franklin Avenue corridor between Fifth and Eleventh and identifying parking needs.

"2. If a demonstrable need exists justifying the creation of additional parking spaces, determining what plan or plans should be considered, and for what reasons.

"3. The Planning Commission will determine the need for any consultants to assist in such study and would retain any consultants as required.

"The Planning Commission is further requested to issue their report with all deliberate speed as soon as possible."

Initially, the committee to draft a resolution for parking came back to the Board with a proposal for the mayor to engage the planning firm BF&J with a request for the Planning Commission to work with the planner and have a study completed by Sept. 1. Trustee Judith Asselta noted from the start that this deadline date may not be adequate for the Planning Commission to completely evaluate the Village's parking situation and all of the avenues to address parking should it be determined that a problem exists.

Hamilton Smith, who spoke at the meeting in his farewell to the Planning Commission, after it was announced that he is retiring, said that he believed that the planner should be engaged by the Planning Commission, a point also made by several other members of the Commission who followed Smith and Trustee Asselta, who urged the Board to rewrite the resolution as such.

Smith noted that the last traffic and parking study was done in 1988 and he noted that there were dramatic differences between the results found in 1984 and 1988 and noted that with an 11 year difference between the last study and today he expected that there would be significant differences to review and analyze. He also commented that maintaining the character of the Village is of great importance, and so any options for dealing with parking should be weighed carefully.

John Mauk of the Commission added that they would like to see the Village truly begin to use the Planning Commission as a resource. He said the members were "perplexed" by the constraints and conflicts presented in the resolution and questioned seriously the haste in the deadline. He urged the Board to "give us the flexibility to examine this issue."

Torino then suggested changing some of the wording in the resolution, which sparked the back and forth debates. In this process he noted that the Board was aware in listing a $5,000 cost for the planner that this would not really cover the cost, rather it was a starting point.

Mort Yuter advised the Board, "Hamilton Smith, John Mauk, and Jim Noonan of the Planning Commission and Trustee Asselta are right about the time constraints and why say $5,000 if we know it's inadequate? Why are we rushing into this thing? Someone tell me why we're rushing?" He further commented, "Dump this resolution and come up with another one. Ask the Planning Commission to look at parking and give them whatever they need in the way of money and time."

Other residents followed at the microphone to add their views on the infamous houses for parking issue and this related parking study resolution. Anthony Albanese, of the Garden City Center Associates, which is suing the Village to attempt to force it to buy houses to convert into parking spaces, argued that, "Retailers don't like to see controversy and they don't like that the Village seems anti-business." He stated, "The least you could do is take 116 Eleventh Street."

Russell Matthews, also of the Albanese Corporation, commented, "There is not adequate parking for lot 10 and it's preposterious to contend otherwise." He noted directly to Trustee Asselta, a move out of order with proper procedure in the meeting, "Your expertise in real estate doesn't measure up to 100 years for the Albanese and Castagna realty companies."

Estates POA President Rothchild reaffirmed the Estates' support of the purchase of 116 Eleventh Street. Chamber of Commerce President Bert Donley added that the Chamber has always supported the Parking Buffer Strip Plan which calls for the conversion of homes on Tenth and Eleventh Street for parking. He added the Roosevelt Savings Bank building has been acquired by a medical practice and said, "Medical use will be the death of Franklin Avenue if it keeps creeping past Eleventh Street. They're very dense users of buildings and the people who go there are sick, not shopping. It's not good for downtown." Past Chamber Presidents Maureen Clancy and Marlene Knoth also spoke in favor of taking the house for parking.

Residents like Dr. Russell Miller, Susan Williams, and James Furey, Sr. spoke on behalf of the residents living next to where lots are proposed in the Buffer Plan. They urged the Board to continue to consider how they themselves would feel living next to a parking lot. They all also agreed that the Planning Commission should be given greater control over the study and more time in which to complete it.

The Board then broke for an Executive Session and returned with the new resolution.

The next Board meeting is scheduled for July 22 at 8 p.m. in Village Hall. The Planning Commission meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 8 p.m.