Unless a long-term solution to the parking shortage in downtown’s northwest quadrant can be found, the lot will lose 15 spaces on March 31.
At issue is a parcel containing 15 parking spaces located between Healthy Smile Center (9 N. Washington St.) and Sisters’ Hair Care (19 N. Washington St.).
The parcel was formerly owned by Nathan Grove, who’s family had leased it to the village since 1973. Under the terms of the lease agreement the village used the parcel to provide free public parking in exchange for accepting “all obligations and responsibilities. . .including, but not limited to tax obligations, lighting, sweeping and snow removal.”
Grove sold the parcel to local developer Charles Schneider in December 2003. Grove informed the village in a Nov. 24, 2003 letter the lease agreement would be terminated 90 days from the date the letter was received.
At the request of village officials, Schneider recently granted continued public use of the parking lot until March 31 with the understanding the village will continue to accept all liability and maintenance as per the terminated 1973 lease agreement.
The developer said he did this as a “courtesy” to the village because it’s his understanding “everyone wasn’t well-informed” about what was taking place.
However, Schneider noted the village has been aware of circumstances surrounding his newly acquired parcel for 31 years, but “totally neglected” it. “They’ve had (31) years to think about this.”
A Feb. 25 letter from village Building, Zoning and Planning Official John Elsarelli went out to business owners in the northwest quadrant notifying them of the situation and the March 31 deadline.
“The Village of Oxford recognizes the importance of adequate parking in the downtown. Although there is no short-term solution for this situation, efforts will be made toward a long-term solution,” Elsarelli wrote.
What happens after March 31 is up to village officials, according to Schneider.
He indicated he would be willing to “attempt to negotiate a lease (with village officials) for the property’s use” after the March 31 deadline, if he feels they’ve taken “meaning steps to cure the problem” and are “doing something long-term to benefit the property owners (of the northwest quadrant) and the community at large.”
“If the objective (of the extension) is to do nothing,” Schneider said he won’t give the village a lease and will close the parcel off to the public so as not to expose himself to any liability.
The “problem” Schneider was referring to is the fact the northwest quadrant has the “least amount of existing parking” of all four downtown quadrants, according to the “Oxford Functional Area Plan for Downtown Parking and Pedestrian Circulation” approved in 2002.
A total of 66 existing parking spaces and 11 street spaces (those located on N. Washington St.) serve the quadrant’s businesses. According to the parking and circulation plan, a minimum of 129 spaces is required to adequately serve the quadrant, meaning it currently has a “parking deficit” of 52 spaces.
A concept plan for the quadrant calls for expanding the lot to the west, which would require the village obtain the properties of 19 W. Burdick, a group home named (?), and ?? W. Burdick, a residential dwelling described as “in good repair and attractive.”
However, the parking and circulation plan noted the main obstacle to westward expansion is the price of obtaining the group home.
The property is planned and zoned for multi-family residential use, but due to the fact it’s utilized as a group home, “the owner wants the ‘business’ value,” according to the plan.
“Due to the unique circumstances, the value of the property as it is zoned and planned is far less than its current business value which makes the purchase unreasonably high,” the parking/circulation plan stated.
In response to the time-sensitive parking issue, the village has formed a committee consisting of council members, Oxford Community Development Authority board members, the OCDA executive director, village police chief, village attorney, a member of the village planning commission and the village’s building, zoning and planning official.
According to OCDA Executive Director Michelle Bishop, this committee is charged with finding a long-term solution to the parking shortage in the northwest quadrant before the March 31 deadline.
Schneider said he does plan to eventually build on the parcel. He’s contemplating designing a building “reminiscent of the style of architecture” used for the Oakland Hotel, which occupied his property in the early part of the 20th century.