Dave Weckle is taking a ‘proactive? approach to dealing with the controversial parking lot situation behind the two buildings he owns in downtown Oxford’s northeast quadrant.
Weckle approached the village planning commission Tuesday night about his plan to create a walkway through the rear of his building at 14 N. Washington St.
This walkway would allow pedestrians access between the north and south sides of the parking lot should the sidewalk area owned by the Knaufs ever become ‘totally closed off,? with a ‘barricade, fence or wall,? according to Weckle, who also owns 10 N. Washington St. (Meriam Building).
If that happens, there’s currently no way for pedestrians to walk from one end of the quadrant to the other on the sidewalk behind the buildings.
Should the situation require it, Weckle plans to remove the back door and a side window from the southeast corner of the space he leases to Lori’s Pet Paradise, and replace them with archways.
A brick path would then be run through the approximately 50-square-foot corner area.
Weckle is also proposing to institute a ‘shuttle service,? using a golf cart, to drive people between the north and south sides of the parking lot.
‘Some of these people, especially older people, can’t hardly walk that far,? Weckle said. ‘It will hold six people so if a whole family comes for dinner at Knapp’s, we can pick them up wherever they are over here (on the north side), run them right along the side of the curb and drop them off (in front of the new walkway).?
The idea is to ‘keep the circulation going,? according to Weckle. ‘Otherwise, everybody through here is going to really suffer because that’s where the majority of the parking is available right now (on the north end of the lot).?
Weckles stressed he only intends to move forward with his plans if the Knaufs block off the sidewalk area.