Downtown Augusta business owners again voiced concerns about the impact of a massive streetscape overhaul on their businesses to city commissioners Tuesday.
On another matter, a commission committee postponed action on a proposal to convert the former Weed School site in the Sand Hills neighborhood to 48 senior apartments.
Downtown business owner Brad Usry, speaking about the street work, said both during the campaign he chaired to replace the James Brown Arena and now, as the street projects progress, parking is of the utmost concern.
“Parking is key to the success of the new arena, and to the future of downtown,” Usry said.
That means the project needs to have a net gain in parking spaces, Usry said. Existing plans show a net loss.
In addition, the effort needs a’ third-party to review its design, oversee construction and communicate with stakeholders, he said.
“We have a large group of businesses and property owners who are concerned, even scared, about this project and the impact it may have on commerce, growth and the quality of life,” he said.
Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle responded by questioning city Traffic Engineer John Ussery about the status of revised drawings expected to add parking spaces to the downtown design.
An engineering consultant “sent his revised plan today” but they’re not fit for public viewing, Ussery said.
To improve communication between E.R. Snell, the primary contractor on the streetscape work, staff “told them we expect them to do better” and “they agreed,” Ussery said. The city is also gathering contact information for downtown businesses and property owners to keep them informed, and using a variety of alerts, public notices and social media to spread the information, he said.
Pressed by Commissioner Brandon Garrett to reveal what the revised plan included, Ussery said it appeared to add approximately 150 parking spaces to the around 480 in the original design.
“We did task them to get as many back in as possible,” he said.
The project includes a raised bike lane on Broad Street which remains unchanged, he said. The city asked the consultant to adjust heavily landscaped areas of the design to find spaces, Ussery said.
Commissioner Don Clark asked staff to better include downtown stakeholders in the discussions.
“They are a part of the attraction that brings folks to our downtown center and this is going to impact them,” Clark said.
Downtown business owner Dennis Abrams, who also addressed commissioners, said he believed the city has attempted to bring downtown stakeholders into the discussion, but gave an example of the “smaller things” that create issues for downtown businesses.
These include a sidewalk cut, made six months ago but never filled in, that he’s seen patrons trip on and dogs use as a bathroom, he said. And notices the businesses have supposedly been given, placed in their doors, blow away, he said.
Usry asked that the city provide better notice of impending construction and road closures. “With all due respect, it’s not the day before,” he said.
With assurance staff will provide an update soon, the city’s Engineering Services committee received the discussion as information.
Committee postpones Weed School vote
On a proposal to loan $960,000 to developers seeking to create 48 senior apartments at the site of the former Weed School, Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Garrett motioned to move the discussion to the next commission committee cycle.
Commissioners did not discuss the proposal in open session. Garrett said he postponed the item at the direction of Administrator Tameka Allen. Allen as well as Mayor Garnett Johnson were out Tuesday.
Two other commissioners, Catherine Smith Rice and Jordan Johnson, said after the meeting they had been ready to discuss the proposal Tuesday.
Smith Rice said she had questions about the cost of the project, which the proposal said had a total development expense of $16.9 million. She said she supported the plan for senior apartments.
“I don’t see anything wrong with having seniors in that area,” she said.
Johnson said he wanted to make sure the Sand Hills community was involved and supportive of the plan, while he also has “unanswered questions” about it.
