Parking Solution: Memphis Zoo + Overton Park Citizen Feedback December 29, 2017 – January 16, 2018 Zoo Parking Project Information
Powers Hill Designs
Susan Butcher
The recent survey results regarding the zoo parking lot designs do not exactly match the non partisan public’s voice. The survey was poorly powered and misleading in design. Memphians who live, work, and play around Overton Park and The Memphis Zoo have problems with the three plans that PHD presented.
1) The plans are virtually the same as a rudimentary map presented over two years ago. No innovation from a design firm is apparent. My tax dollars were wasted paying PHD for a design I saw many years ago.
2) Traffic congestion was not addressed by any of the PHD maps. No effort to expedite zoo visitors efforts to park and get inside the zoo was addressed. The gate house needs to be removed as does free parking with zoo membership. The Memphis Zoo does not make money, it is heavily subsidized by the taxpayers. Let’s find a way to have the zoo decrease its financial dependency upon tax dollars by adding a parking surcharge or at least a pay as you leave toll gate which will lessen traffic congestion tremendously as patrons leave at different times.
3) Needless encroachment into the Greensward by the addition of a superfluous “ring road” was utilized by all three PHD maps. The new lot is supposed to have limited encroachment as outlined by the compromise. The ring road is not a reflection of that compromise and needlessly gobbles up 2.9 acres of public parkland that is used by tax paying citizens. Perhaps you haven't see the hammocks and reading circles beneath the big magnolias. I invite you to spend some time at the park more than one 1030 minute visit and on a sunny day. Let’s have the same reverence for inner city greenspace in Overton Park as New York City has for Central Park.
4) The sanctity of Veteran’s Plaza was desecrated by the PHD designs. Again, the superfluous ring road is a poor design element present in all three maps. The ring road needs to be removed from the designs.
5) The curent zoo lot is full of wasted negative space and the three PHD designs are no different. The new zoo lot should have the most efficient use of its footprint like any inner city attraction. The MZS felled 18 trees under the mask of darkness in Jan 2015. Trees that were donated by a private citizen to Overton Park in memory of a loved one. The zoo leadership knew that what they were doing was wrong. I think that the zoo can sacrifice a minimum of 18 larger trees for their new lot in fair exchange to make things right. It’s a compromise after all.
What Powers Hill failed to address with their one design (in three iterations) was effectively addressed by three private citizens who drafted their own designs. These designs do not encroach upon the Greensward, provide more efficient traffic flow, and exceed the number of parking spaces that the zoo requested. I encourage you to involve Dennis Lynch and Charles “Chooch” Pickard in the planning process of this new lot.
Please see the attached design concept and have PHD incorporate it in a reasonable compromise design that addresses the flaws with what they have presented thus far. It is possible for the zoo to have an efficient lot and for the park to have its land. That is what a compromise should be.
S Barnett 38112
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/?ui=2&ik=8d942194f8&jsver=pkG7biCEwPU.en.&view=pt&msg=160b76173a4077e3&search=inbox&siml=160b76173a4077e3 1/1 Zoo Parking Project Information
Plans for the Memphis Zoo Parking
Pam Branham
To everyone involved in the Parking Plan at the Memphis Zoo:
As you know, I am the president of the Tucker Jefferson Neighborhood Association. TJNA has been very interested in the Zoo Parking Issues and Plans. The Zoo is a very important neighbor and I believe they want to ultimately do the best thing for the park and all of the surrounding neighborhoods. At least, I hope that is what they want. There has to be a way that we all win.
I and my neighborhood and the Overton Park Alliance have some concerns about the plans put forth so far.
These concerns are as follows:
· Unnecessary loss of park land. The footprint of the current designs consumes almost 3 acres of park land and is needlessly large. It has been demonstrated (see plan CP, attached) that the council resolution requirements can be met within the zoo lot's current footprint. Any use of park land beyond the existing footprint should be minimized.
· Ring road. The ring road, which is present in all three of the submitted plans, should be eliminated from future designs. It consumes a great deal of park land and places moving vehicles adjacent to the park and its users. It intrudes on the sanctity of Veterans' Plaza. It should be replaced with a circulation road that is internal to the lot as in CP.
· Congestion. It is not appropriate to use park land to address congestion. Instead, we advocate the following solutions. Some of these address the fundamental cause, namely too many vehicles arriving or departing at the same time, while others would smooth traffic flow.
o Eliminate backups caused by antiquated payasyouenter systems and instead implement payasyouexit, pay kiosks, or paybyapp as is done successfully at downtown parking lots, at the airport, and elsewhere around the country.
o Use incentive pricing and admission by reservation to spread out arrival times.
o Reduce the number of vehicles in the park by improving the N. Parkway zoo entrance and encouraging the use of the spaces along N. Parkway and in the Snowden School parking lot, particularly on the 60100 peak days which happen mostly on weekends and in the evenings for special events and fundraisers.
o Congestion at Prentiss and McLean is lifethreateningly dangerous. A fullscale professional traffic study should be done to determine whether solutions like oneway traffic flow from Poplar to Morrie Moss to Prentiss to McLean and hardscaping forcing rightturn only from Prentiss onto McLean would help.
· Low Impact Development. Using LID (e.g., pervious pavers through which grass can grow to provide the appearance of continuous greenspace) in the part of the lot adjacent to the park would reduce runoff and provide a visual buffer between the lot and the park, particularly during the offseason.
· Trees. Trees in the park and on the border of the lot and park are high priority. There is a very small number of healthy mature trees within the zoo lot that should be preserved if possible; the rest are less critical.
Have you seen Charles “Chooch” Pickard’s Design? I can send it to you, if not. It seems to have some very inventive ways to address these concerns.
Thank you,
Pam Branham
TJNA
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/?ui=2&ik=8d942194f8&jsver=pkG7biCEwPU.en.&view=pt&msg=160b7e6a0753012f&search=inbox&siml=160b7e6a0753012f 1/1 Zoo Parking Project Information
Feedback on plans
Michael Graber
Although I took the survey, I am greatly concerned about the size of the footprint of the design. In particular, the proposed Ring Road is unnecessary, wasteful, and does not maximize efficient planning. The Park is hallowed ground to many. Don’t fowl it up, Michael — — — — — — — — — Michael Graber Managing Partner Southern Growth Studio: Insight, Innovation, Strategy
[email protected] mobile: 6622028405 office: 9017261008
Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/southerngrowthstudio/
Studio: http://www.southerngrowthstudio.com/
Author site: http://michaelgraberinnovations.com/
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Comments/Suggestions re: Zoo Parking Plan Overton Park Physicians for Urban Parks
Emily Graves
To whom it may concern: Having extensively reviewed the three parking concepts (X, Y, and Z) submitted for public review, we cannot support any of the options presented. With some adjustments, however, all stakeholders' needs can be met without unnecessary loss of park land. Two other plans have been developed which fulfill all criteria set forth in the City Council resolution and amendments and achieve the necessary number of spaces required by the zoo, while encroaching minimally, if at all, beyond the zoo's current footprint. One plan was developed by Dennis Lynch, a civil engineer, and one developed by Chooch Pickard, an architect and historic preservationist. I am happy to send you copies of their plans if you have not received them already. These plans offer proof of concept that the design can be completed within the current footprint; as a result, any encroachment beyond the current footprint must be justified. In general, efficiency in terms of land use must be emphasized over design aesthetic within the parking lot. Small islands of trees surrounded by pavement unnecessarily waste land. The resulting larger lot leads to more drainage issues and more cost for paving and maintaining the lot. In regards to pedestrian walkways, one need only observe parking lots with incorporated walkways to see that people will always walk in the drive lanes and the pedestrian walkways offer minimal increase in safety while causing increased cost. In general, efficiency in terms of maximizing flow and minimizing congestion must be emphasized over design aesthetic within the parking lot. This makes for a better experience for zoo patrons as well as park goers. A dropoff area for buses, ridesharing, and private vehicles should be placed at North Parkway, not within the park/parking lot, in order to decrease congestion. (As such, the North Parkway zoo entrance needs to be fully developed with a proper entrance and signage.) Payment for parking must be electronic or at a payment kiosk after the vehicle has entered and parked. An entrance drive which allows cars to turn left and right is twice as efficient as the current plans with a perimeter access road that only permits left turns. Specific areas of concern: Preservation of Park Land In a nutshell, preserving land (meaning, minimizing encroachment into the Greensward) is more important than preserving islands of trees within the parking area. There are islands of trees on the concept maps in the northern portion of the parking lot, adjacent to the entrance, and within the parking lot that could and should be turned into parking spaces in order to preserve the contiguous greenspace of the Greensward and pull the southern boundary of the parking lot farther north. The parking lot needs parking spaces, not islands of trees that will likely be turned into parking spaces in the future. Saving a tree just to have it surrounded by pavement makes it functionally and visually valueless. Additionally, the greenspace south of the current Gate House is not negotiable and must be preserved; the Evergreen Historic District Association has a binding, enforceable agreement with the City regarding this area. Eliminate the Ring Road The ring road is unnecessary, inefficient, wastes park land, and its location as an access point is unacceptable. First, funneling all traffic onto a lane in which all cars may only take a left turn into a parking drive aisle is inefficient compared to allowing cars to enter somewhere in the middle of the lot and then split off to the right and left (twice as efficient). Second, making that entrance border the Greensward and Veterans' Plaza (a place that is expected to have some level of sanctity and reflection), with the constant visual intrusion of moving traffic and the associated noise and pollution, is unacceptable; having access on the perimeter means even on lowvolume days, the park users are having to look at cars driving adjacent to them. Bisecting the parking lot with the main drive aisle means parkgoers are protected from having to see/hear/smell cars except on the busy days when the parking lot has filled up. Third, aligning the entrance lane with Overton Park Avenue means that the homeowners look down their street and instead of seeing a park, they see a driveway, which even on low attendance days is unsatisfactory. Using the current concept X map, you have a driveway aisle near the current gate house which would suffice as an entrance, thus negating the need for a ring road and moving the entrance away from the view of nearby homes and away from the park area and Veterans' Plaza. North Parkway Entrance and DropOff Area This needs to be on North Parkway at/near the existing North Parkway zoo entrance. These modes of arrival should not add to the traffic in the park/parking lot. Improving the utility of the North Parkway entrance will also improve safety by diminishing delays caused by the neargridlock level of traffic present on peak zoo days. Congestion Mitigation Must be "pay after you park" and/or electronic payment method (similar to Overton Square parking garage, for example), in order to limit the bottleneck of each and every car having to stop and pay (or have their zoo membership card verified) on the way in. With a gate house like the current one, each car in line has to stop not only for itself but also for each car in front of it in line instead of driving in, parking, and THEN paying. This contributes to massive congestion. Incentive pricing and admission by reservation would also spread the zoo patrons out across the day, minimizing congestion. (See above for remarks re: North Parkway entrance, dropoff area, and efficient drive entrance allowing left and right turns.) Permanent Buffer – A permanent, green/hard buffer (bioberm, bioswale, native trees, etc.) which eliminates any further access from the parking lot into the park is required. This includes preserving – in a manner contiguous with the rest of the park – the current young magnolia groves (which cannot be transplanted) as well as the mature magnolias to the south of the current lot. Pedestrian access between the zoo and the remainder of the park should use the existing sidewalk at Veterans’ Plaza, not using the current vehicle access point into the Greensward. We are dedicated to preserving urban park lands for their mental, social, and physical health rewards as well as their economic benefits. Quality urban parks like Overton Park are vital to our community. Thank you, Physicians for Urban Parks, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation CoFounder, Emily Graves, MD – Pediatric and Comprehensive Ophthalmology, Duncan Eye PLLC CoFounder, Susan Northen Lacy, MD – Obstetrics and Gynecology, OB/GYN Specialists Owen Tabor, Jr. MD – Orthopedic Surgeon, Tabor Orthopedics Houston Graves, MD, JD – Musculoskeletal and Diagnostic Radiology, Memphis Radiologic Professional Corporation Shawn Hayden, MD – Methodist Medical Group Kristen Duncan, MD – Comprehensive Ophthalmology, Duncan Eye PLLC Alison Stiles, MD – Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Memphis Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Associates Shiva Bohn, MD – Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, LeBonheur Children’s Hospital Jane Hankins, MD, MS – Pediatric Hematology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Laura Godat, MD – Trauma Surgery, University of California at San Diego Shannon Rosati, MD – General Surgery and Pediatric Critical Care, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center Mike Lacy, MD – Pediatrics, Memphis Children’s Clinic Southaven Brian Fowler, MD – Oculoplastic Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center Amy Huber, MD – Dermatology, Memphis Dermatology Clinic Todd Tillmanns, MD – Gynecologic Oncology, The West Clinic Schorr Behnke, MD – Pediatric and Diagnostic Radiology, Memphis Radiologic Professional Corporation Michael Martin, MD – Oncology, The West Clinic Frances Lawhead, MD – Dermatology, Memphis Dermatology Clinic Jeffrey Scrugham, MD – Pediatric Radiology, LeBonheur Children’s Hospital Edwin Thorpe, MD – Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baptist Memorial Hospital – Memphis Laura Engbretson, MD – Obstetrics and Gynecology, Engbretson Center for Women Shannon RiedleyMalone, MD – Obstetrics and Gynecology, Engbretson Center for Women Whitney Sanders, MD – Pediatrics, Memphis Children’s Clinic Whitehaven Stephen Pishko, MD – Pediatrics, LeBonheur Children’s Hospital Jeff Warren, MD – Family Medicine, Primary Care Specialists Natalie C. Kerr, MD, FACS – Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, LeBonheur Children’s Hospital Vincent Samuel, MD – Anesthesiology, Metropolitan Anesthesia Alliance Eli Jones, MD – Anesthesiology, East Memphis Anesthesia Services https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/?ui=2&ik=8d942194f8&jsver=pkG7biCEwPU.en.&view=pt&msg=160b9443ca13187a&search=inbox&siml=160b9443ca13187a 1/2 1/15/2018 Caissa Public Strategy Mail - Comments/Suggestions re: Zoo Parking Plan - Overton Park -- Physicians for Urban Parks David Richardson, MD – Orthopaedic Surgery (Foot and Ankle), Campbell Clinic Greer Richardson, MD – Orthopaedic Surgery (Foot and Ankle), Campbell Clinic Patrick Blankinship, MD – Diagnostic Radiology and Mammography, Memphis Radiologic Professional Corporation Lilia Pereiras, MD – Pediatric Anesthesiology, LeBonheur Children’s Hospital Mike Wallace, MD – Family Medicine, Family Physicians Group Bill Rice, MD – Musculoskeletal Radiology, Memphis Physicians Radiological Group Business Advisory Committee Doug Duncan – Managing Director, Wolf River Capital Management, LLC Kathleen Herrod Behnke Lauren Scrugham Jonathan Hancock, J.D. – Baker Donelson Kyle Godat – Rouse Properties Jason Bohn MULTIVAC
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Open meetings
Susan Butcher
What happened to the public input meetings and transparency that the city ensured citizens for the parking project? Seems that the process has gone silent and behind the scenes from the public. Back room deals aren’t good for relations.
Thank you,
s barnett
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/?ui=2&ik=8d942194f8&jsver=pkG7biCEwPU.en.&view=pt&msg=160bc4bb6872b21a&search=inbox&siml=160bc4bb6872b21a 1/1 Zoo Parking Project Information
Zoo Parking Plan
ROY TAMBOLI
As a representative of TuckerJefferson Neighborhood Association and a member of Overton Park Alliance I would like to voice my support for the details outlined in the OPA response to the engineering proposals for the Zoo parking design.
I oppose the unnecessary loss of park land, the ring road, additional congestion and loss of more trees that are in the current proposals.
I support the request for an amended plan or a new plan addressing the unacceptable shortcomings of the current plans. There are many thoughtful, intelligent solutions provided by the volunteers of OPA that should be included in the final plan.
Sincerely,
Roy Tamboli 58 N. Tucker St. Memphis, TN 38104
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/?ui=2&ik=8d942194f8&jsver=pkG7biCEwPU.en.&view=pt&msg=160bc90cdccd6679&search=inbox&siml=160bc90cdccd6679 1/1 Zoo Parking Project Information
CGA response to designs provided by PowersHill Design
Barbara Sysak
Please read the attached document from Central Gardens Association for review and comments on the proposed designs for parking at the Zoo. Also included is a pdf and jpeg of another design that was created by a local architect to demonstrate an alternative that meets the needs of our neighborhood members. Thank you!
Regards, Barbara
Barbara Sysak [email protected] 680 South McLean Blvd Memphis, TN 38104 5516893879 mobile www.barbarasysak.com
To sign up for:
4 attachments
CP.jpeg 117K
Enews screenshot.png 21K let Mayor advisory team OP.pdf 125K CP parking layout6.pdf 9896K
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Dear members of Mayor Strickland’s Zoo Parking Design Team,
Central Gardens Association (CGA), a neighborhood association with over 500 members and representing over 1400 residents has been closely involved with Overton Park Alliance to assure that the needs of our community are being met during the design process. As background, in 2016, CGA embarked on a strategic planning process that included listening sessions and surveys. We learned that our community is passionate about their park space and consider Overton Park to be an extension of their backyard. The community is overwhelmingly in favor of supporting Overton Park. For this reason, CGA has been advocating to assure that our park is maintained and enhanced. We assigned two board members to represent Central Gardens as we joined the Overton Park Alliance- a working advocacy group representing neighborhoods and park supporter groups. CGA, representing its neighbors, is vested in assuring that our greenspace, Overton Park, remains the crown jewel of Memphis’ park system.
CGA has also been a positive voice regarding the Mayor’s plan to convene an advisory board to resolve the Greensward parking issue. We felt that this was a win-win-win for all parties— the city (demonstrating transparency), the zoo (coming to the table and improving access to the zoo) and Overton Park (resolving the parking issues without taking away green space).
CGA also was involved in researching the various design contracts and we were supportive of the award to Powers Hill Design.
That being said, CGA feels compelled to voice our concerns with the plans (x,y and z) that were submitted by Powers Hill Design. Below are our major concerns.
• The process of review seems to have become much less transparent. We request that the process include public meetings. It is our understanding that the contract requires at least one public meeting and meetings with public interest groups. • Any use of park land beyond the existing footprint should be minimized. We have evaluated each of the plans as well as the plan submitted to us by a local Memphis architect. [see attached). This plan demonstrates that the council resolution requirements can be met within the zoo lot's current footprint. • Ring road. We agree with Overton Park Alliance that the ring road, which is present in all three of the submitted plans, should be eliminated from future designs. It consumes a great deal of park land and places moving vehicles adjacent to the park and its users. It intrudes on the sanctity of Veterans' Plaza. It should be replaced with a circulation road that is internal to the lot as in the CP plan.
P. O. Box 41382 • Memphis, Tennessee 38174-1382
• Improving congestion is paramount to zoo access, neighborhood quality of life/safety and holding on to valuable park lands. We agree with the suggestions made by the Overton Park Alliance listed below. o Eliminate backups caused by antiquated pay-as-you-enter systems and instead implement pay-as-you-exit, pay kiosks, or pay-by-app as is done successfully at downtown parking lots, at the airport, and elsewhere around the country. o Use incentive pricing and admission by reservation to spread out arrival times. o Reduce the number of vehicles in the park by improving the N. Parkway zoo entrance and encouraging the use of the spaces along N. Parkway and in the Snowden School parking lot, particularly on the 60-100 peak days which happen mostly on weekends and in the evenings for special events and fundraisers. o Congestion at Prentiss and McLean is life-threateningly dangerous. A full- scale professional traffic study should be done to determine whether solutions like one-way traffic flow from Poplar to Morrie Moss to Prentiss to McLean and hardscaping forcing right-turn only from Prentiss onto McLean would help. o Either eliminate or limit the ability of zoo members to park for free (say, by providing a fixed number of parking vouchers to each member). • Low Impact Development. We also agree that using LID (e.g., pervious pavers through which grass can grow to provide the appearance of continuous greenspace) in the part of the lot adjacent to the park would reduce runoff and provide a visual buffer between the lot and the park, particularly during the off-season. • Trees. Trees in the park and on the border of the lot and park are high priority. There is a very small number of healthy mature trees within the zoo lot that should be preserved if possible; the rest are less critical. CGA maintains an Level 3 Arboretum with Central Gardens and we understand the value of mature trees to our environment.
We respectfully request that the above issues need to be addressed in future plans. Thank you for the hard work. We know from the work that CGA and the Design Parking Team has committed to this endeavor, that solutions to this issue can be found and will have valuable benefits for years to come.
Sincerely,
Kathy Ferguson, CGA President Mark Fleischer, CGA Board member and Overton Park Alliance Representative Barbara Sysak, CGA Board member and Overton Park Alliance Representative
P. O. Box 41382 • Memphis, Tennessee 38174-1382
Zoo Parking Project Information
Questions about small group meetings
Eric
Dear Caissa/PHD,
In part III. A. of PHD's contract with the city, item 8 requires PHD to "Schedule and conduct up to twelve (12) Small Group meetings with individual interest groups to receive input on issues of concern." I am writing to ask if these meetings have already taken place, and if so, who they were with. If they have not taken place, when will they happen, and which groups will they include? How will those groups be chosen? Is there a way for neighborhood and community groups to apply to be included?
Thank you for your efforts to design a lot that will respect the beauty and safety of Overton Park and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Sincerely,
Eric Gottlieb
Eric Gottlieb [email protected]
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/?ui=2&ik=8d942194f8&jsver=pkG7biCEwPU.en.&view=pt&msg=160c1f188bb45f56&search=inbox&siml=160c1f188bb45f56 1/1 Zoo Parking Project Information
zoo parking
Susan Bransford
Susan Bransford proud midtown Memphian since 1991
Sent from Outlook
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Zoo Parking
Laura GoodmanBryan
Dear Mayor Strickland,
Thank you for your leadership on working toward a solution on the thorny matter of the greensward parking problems. I applaud the progress that has been made.
The plans produced by PHD are a start but, in my humble opinion, have several incorrect premises at their core. I am pleased to hear that PHD has been charged to look at the issue with fresh eyes. As a lifelong Memphian and Evergreen resident, I am energetically requesting that the next round of plans eliminate the ring road and reduce the parking lot footprint. I know with certainty that this is possible and am sure that there are enthusiastic and solution oriented citizens who would be eager to brainstorm with PHD if given the opportunity.
Additionally, I believe that there are several other routes to addressing the parking problems that occur on high volume zoo days such as an improved North Parkway entrance and rethinking the fee structures and collection mechanisms. I’m the COO of a local business and have 30 year’s experience managing service operations. In my professional opinion, I am confident that some innovative approaches which would improve the customer experience even more than a larger parking lot would are within our reach.
Thank you for listening.
Laura GoodmanBryan
346 Buena Vista Place, 38112
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/?ui=2&ik=8d942194f8&jsver=pkG7biCEwPU.en.&view=pt&msg=160c3b75576d209f&search=inbox&siml=160c3b75576d209f 1/1 Zoo Parking Project Information
Belleair Woods Neighborhood Association Input on Overton Park Parking Plans
Allison Lemm
Dear PowersHill,
After review and discussion of Overton Park Parking Plans XYZ, the Belleair Woods Neighborhood Association offers the following recommendations:
1. Reduce the footprint of the overall design. We wholeheartedly believe that the parking goals can be met without further encroachment of precious greenspace. Consider Chooch Pickard’s design which uses less park land and adds the 415 required parking spaces.
2. Eliminate Ring Road from the plan! We all think this is a bad idea! It uses a lot of land and also places vehicles in close proximity to park visitors and Veteran’s Plaza. This can’t be safe. If anything, we think Overton Park needs fewer roads, not more.
3. Make Prentiss Place a oneway/exitonly street, or at the very least make it right turn only exiting the park. The traffic tieups at that entrance are a nightmare!
4. Don’t use park land to address congestion. Congestion should be addressed by maximizing the traffic flow throughout the park and at each of the entrances.
5. Implement modern parking technology, such as a paybyapp or pay kiosks, and do away with the antiquated zoo parking lot pay booth which backs up traffic with viisitors waiting to pay to park at the zoo.
In addition, our neighborhood is interested in knowing your plans for Veterans Plaza Drive, specifically at the intersection of Poplar Avenue in front of our neighborhood where a multitude of accidents have occurred. This really isn’t addressed in these preliminary plans.
Thank you for your consideration of these suggestions. If you have any questions or need additional input from our neighborhood please contact me.
Sincerely,
Allison Lemm Belleair Woods Neighborhood Association
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/?ui=2&ik=8d942194f8&jsver=pkG7biCEwPU.en.&view=pt&msg=160c3bb7894a309c&search=inbox&siml=160c3bb7894a309c 1/1 Zoo Parking Project Information
Fwd: Parking Plan Update
Tracy Wiswall
I feel like I can't say it enough times...so I will say it again. Why aren't the spots angled? Its so much easier to get into and out of spots when they are angled and less gridlock in the parking lot. If you want to see why angled spot are better...visit the Union Avenue Kroger (which does not have angled spots) versus Kroger Poplar Plaza (which has angled spots). Poplar Plaza is super busy but the lot keeps moving all day. Union Avenue when its busy is absolute meyhem and even when its slow all it takes in one idiot to completely mess up that place. 60 degree angled spots are easier, safer, and provide a better driver experience. Any loss in parking spots due to the 60 degree angle spots can be made up for by doing away with 2 way traffic in every single row.
Let me get off my soapbox now...
Tracy Wiswall [email protected]
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/?ui=2&ik=8d942194f8&jsver=pkG7biCEwPU.en.&view=pt&msg=160d7bab97bb13bc&search=inbox&siml=160d7bab97bb13bc 1/1 Zoo Parking Project Information
Zoo parking
Louis AOL
Per the Email that Doug McGowen sent out on 1/8/18, could you please clarify and offer an explanation of why it is not possible in the statement in the last 2 lines. "claiming that the parking spaces required by the Council resolution can be achieved while staying within the current footprint of the lot. This however, is not possible given the specifics of the resolution." What does that mean "the specifics of the resolution"? Please be very clear. It seems to me there are several options that have not really been explored at this point, one for example using some of the space in the Zoo's maintenance area off North Parkway. It does not seem that optimal use of that space is being used. And if I'm wrong I'm confident there are other other valid options still to be considered. If we're doing this , let's spend the time and energy and get it as close to perfect as possible. Thank you. Louis Glazer
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CooperYoung supports revisions to Zoo parking plan for efficient use of public property
Caroline Smart
Friday, January 5, 2018
Dear Zoo Parking Advisory Team,
We are grateful for the hard work that Mayor Strickland & your team have done to ensure that the crown jewel of Memphis, Overton Park, maintains its shining status. The CYCA is the organization representing 1,600 homes in the Midtown neighborhood of CooperYoung. As you know, Overton Park is a great resource to our community, which is why preserving the Greensward is a very important issue that we support.
After perusing the three options originally presented by PHD and not having a clear forum for public input, we wanted to voice some concerns. • First, any use of park land beyond the existing footprint should be minimized. All plans should be designed for space efficiency. • Second, the ring road, which is present in all three of the submitted plans, consumes a great deal of park land & places moving vehicles adjacent to the park & its users. It intrudes on the sanctity of Veterans' Plaza, as well as the Formal Gardens. It should be replaced with an internal circulation road to the lot, so that the main burden is only felt by those using the lot. This will also ONLY be of impact the 4060 high visitor volume days each year. • Third, Low Impact Development (LID), such as pervious pavers and bioswales, should be utilized in the outer edges of the lot so that park users have a visual buffer, especially during low volume days, which is over 200 days/year. Trees would also add to this view & create a physical buffer as well. If trees need to be strategically removed/relocated within the lot to increase parking efficiency, then we support that decision to protect the greater Park. • Finally, congestion is a major issue that needs to include a thirdparty traffic study & innovative solutions that could include incentives for walking/biking, online apps, & containing congestion within the lot. It is not appropriate to use park land as a “BandAid” fix.
Again, we greatly appreciate your service to our community.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Gonzalez, Executive Director & the CYCA Board of Directors
Caroline N. Smart CYCA Treasurer 7066762997
CYCA 2018 Board of Directors Mark Morrison | President Liz Royer | Vice President John Condon | Secretary Caroline Smart | Treasurer Suzanne Abedi | Family & Youth Chair Cheryl Bledsoe | Membership Chair June Hurt | Communications Chair, Building Chair Patrick Jones | Transportation Chair Mike Larrivee |Beautification/Sustainability Chair Debbie Sowell | Volunteer Coordinator Robert Hatfield | At-Large Board Member Benjamin Rednour| At-Large Board Member
CYCA letter to support revisions to Zoo parking plans.pdf 320K
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/?ui=2&ik=8d942194f8&jsver=pkG7biCEwPU.en.&view=pt&msg=160de22d04dd4ff7&search=inbox&siml=160de22d04dd4ff7 1/1 Friday, January 5, 2018
Dear Zoo Parking Advisory Team,
We are grateful for the hard work that Mayor Strickland & your team have done to ensure that the crown jewel of Memphis, Overton Park, maintains its shining status. The CYCA is the organization representing 1,600 homes in the Midtown neighborhood of Cooper-Young. As you The CYCA is the neighborhood know, Overton Park is a great resource to our community, which is why association for the Cooper-Young preserving the Greensward is a very important issue that we support. community located in Memphis, Tennessee. In the heart of Memphis- After perusing the three options originally presented by PHD and not ‘Midtown’, the Cooper-Young having a clear forum for public input, we wanted to voice some community surrounds the concerns. intersections of Cooper St., and First, any use of park land beyond the existing footprint should Young Avenue. Development started be minimized. All plans should be designed for space efficiency. here in 1881, making Cooper-Young Second, the ring road, which is present in all three of the one of Memphis’s older submitted plans, consumes a great deal of park land & places neighborhoods. The community and moving vehicles adjacent to the park & its users. It intrudes on the the association have a long, vibrant sanctity of Veterans' Plaza, as well as the Formal Gardens. It should be replaced with an internal circulation road to the lot, so history and are a vital part of the city that the main burden is only felt by those using the lot. This will of Memphis. also ONLY be of impact the 40-60 high visitor volume days each year. Third, Low Impact Development (LID), such as pervious pavers and bio-swales, should be utilized in the outer edges of the lot so that park users have a visual buffer, especially during low volume days, which is over 200 days/year. Trees would also add to this 2298 Young Ave view & create a physical buffer as well. If trees need to be strategically removed/relocated within the lot to increase Memphis, TN 38104 parking efficiency, then we support that decision to protect the (901) 272-2922 greater Park. [email protected] Finally, congestion is a major issue that needs to include a third- party traffic study & innovative solutions that could include incentives for walking/biking, online apps, & containing congestion within the lot. It is not appropriate to use park land as a “Band-Aid” fix.
Again, we greatly appreciate your service to our community. CYCA 2018 Board of Directors Mark Morrison | President Sincerely, Liz Royer | Vice President John Condon | Secretary Caroline Smart | Treasurer Suzanne Abedi | Family & Youth Chair Stephanie Gonzalez, Executive Director Cheryl Bledsoe | Membership Chair & the CYCA Board of Directors June Hurt | Communications Chair, Building Chair Patrick Jones | Transportation Chair Mike Larrivee |Beautification/Sustainability Chair Debbie Sowell | Volunteer Coordinator Robert Hatfield | At-Large Board Member Benjamin Rednour| At-Large Board Member