The Uptown Planners met tonight at Joyce Beers Community Center as a consultant for SANDAG presented a proposed Mid-City Rapid Bus Project, specifically the portion that would affect Park Boulevard between El Cajon Boulevard & University Avenue.
The idea would place dedicated bus lanes and new rapid bus transit stations in the middle of Park Boulevard resulting in a loss of 35 parking spaces at three locations where diagonal parking will be converted to parallel parking along Park Boulevard. An additional 23 spaces will be provided along side streets with placement of new (or tighter) diagonal parking and the removal of one bus stop. The planning group voiced concern at the proposal, but will wait for the project to return with modlifications before making their recommendation.
The mayor’s Parking Meter Utilization Improvement Plan was presented by the City of SD’s Mike Vogel. The Planners overwhelmingly rejected the proposal by 10-3 with the chair Leo Wilson abstaining. Then a motion was made to abolish the Uptown Community Parking District. The 6-6 tie was broken by the chair, and the motion failed. A third motion to remove all meters in Uptown failed 5-8-1. Motion #4 to refer the discussion of the future of the Uptown Community Parking District to the Uptown Public Facilities Subcommittee passed by a vote of 12-2-1. The Uptown Partnership will hold their board of directors meeting tomorrow beginning at 4:30 on the second floor of the Park Manor Suites Hotel.
