Parking requirement for Kinmonth Building may be reduced
The Sun's city council preview — Oct. 17, 2012
The city council is scheduled to vote tonight on the introduction of an ordinance that would reduce the parking requirement for the Kinmonth Building’s redevelopment.
The historic Kinmonth Building [right] is located on Mattison Avenue. Local developer Carter Sackman hopes to renovate the building, reactivating the historical Savoy Theatre and creating 64 new studio apartments in the upper floors.
The project has been delayed due to disagreements over how to handle parking at the cite. The city’s central business district [CBD] plan currently requires 1.5 parking spaces be created for every new residential unit. But Sackman has argued his studio efficiencies will not necessitate 1.5 spaces per unit.
The council tonight will vote on whether to reduce the requirement from 1.5 spaces per unit to 1 space.
“These [units] are very, very modest in terms of space,” city manager Terence Reidy said today. “Some analyses out there show they really would generate less than half a car per unit. But we’re being very conservative in this matter and taking steps to amend the ordinance from 1.5 to 1.”
If a majority of the council votes to approve the introduction of this ordinance, there will be a second reading and public hearing at a later meeting before they vote on its adoption.
The council will meet tonight in council chambers, with a closed executive session starting at 5 p.m.; a workshop session at 6 p.m. and a regular meeting at 7 p.m. Other items on the agenda include:
• Possible rejection of a bond ordinance whereby the city would seek $1 million in long-term bonds to make up for a $1 million shortfall in the 2012 municipal budget. Reidy has said he will recommend the council reject the ordinance in favor of making up the difference with other city funds, possibly seeking a short-term bond, and paying the money back in 2013.
• A liquor license transfer from Marilyn Schlossbach to Kyle LePree et al. for 601 Bangs Ave., the high-rise office building LePree and her partners recently purchased. LePree and her partners own city bars and restaurants the Brickwall Tavern, the Annex and Porta.
• A presentation on saddles the city will donated to the Newark Police Department from Police Chief Mark Kinmon.
• Presentation by Christine Paulin of bid results for some city equipment.
• A presentation by city engineer Joe Cunha on electricity for city-owned facilities.
