City to look at parking plan again
Eric Ely
Issue date: 3/10/10 Section: News
After having their proposal for a new parking lot at the Truax campus stalled by the city Plan Commission, Madison Area Technical College is back on track with a reworked proposal to be sent before the planning commission on April 12.
The Plan Commission is a nine-member board that oversees the planning and development of public buildings and projects in Madison and has final approval authority on the construction of such matters, including the proposed parking lot of Madison College.
Instead of being discarded completely, the original proposal was placed on file without prejudice by the commission during their meeting on Jan. 11. This means that after reviewing and amending the proposal Madison College would be able to resubmit its request. The parking lot proposal was sent back to Madison College with recommendations on what needed to be improved by the school in order for any future proposal to gain approval by the Plan Commission.
City planner Heather Stouder explained the shortcomings of the original proposal submitted by Madison College.
"The Plan Commission is fairly wary of approving parking lots that are so large without better understanding the need for them," Stouder explained. "Ultimately, they felt the college could do a better job of illustrating need, just to make sure a 360-stall new, impervious parking lot in this area is warranted."
Michael Schumacher, who is a member of the Plan Commission board, echoed these feelings saying that more needed to be done by Madison College before their proposal would be approved.
Schumacher wanted to see more integration between the parking lot and the college's Facilities Master Plan. He also showed concern over the conversion of green space to a concrete parking lot and questioned how necessary the new parking lot really is.
Stouder was unsure if any of the members on the Plan Commission board have experience with the current parking dilemmas facing the Truax Campus.
The Plan Commission is a nine-member board that oversees the planning and development of public buildings and projects in Madison and has final approval authority on the construction of such matters, including the proposed parking lot of Madison College.
Instead of being discarded completely, the original proposal was placed on file without prejudice by the commission during their meeting on Jan. 11. This means that after reviewing and amending the proposal Madison College would be able to resubmit its request. The parking lot proposal was sent back to Madison College with recommendations on what needed to be improved by the school in order for any future proposal to gain approval by the Plan Commission.
City planner Heather Stouder explained the shortcomings of the original proposal submitted by Madison College.
"The Plan Commission is fairly wary of approving parking lots that are so large without better understanding the need for them," Stouder explained. "Ultimately, they felt the college could do a better job of illustrating need, just to make sure a 360-stall new, impervious parking lot in this area is warranted."
Michael Schumacher, who is a member of the Plan Commission board, echoed these feelings saying that more needed to be done by Madison College before their proposal would be approved.
Schumacher wanted to see more integration between the parking lot and the college's Facilities Master Plan. He also showed concern over the conversion of green space to a concrete parking lot and questioned how necessary the new parking lot really is.
Stouder was unsure if any of the members on the Plan Commission board have experience with the current parking dilemmas facing the Truax Campus.
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